Love Me Right
by tinyraver
Summary: Love awaits those who don't seek it. There's a thin line between ignorance and idiocy. Watch these two idiots go through the ups and downs of falling for one another.
1. Wolf

_**AN: -casually places this story here- So here I am again, writing a new story for you guys. Like, how can I even explain myself? I just start writing things and then forget about other stories that I have started. I just needed to write this story, it's been something that has been on mind for a really long time. I'm not sure when I'll start posting this story, hopefully when it's finished. That way I can focus on my other two unfinished stories. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this story. I got the title by listening to a K-Pop Band, so the chapter titles may be titled after other songs, cause I think I'm neat. Feel free to listen to the songs, maybe they'll help understand my thought process xD Anyways, happy reading everyone~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: As usual, I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Violence, Language and Sexual Themes.**_

 _ **Legend: Italics for Flashbacks.**_

* * *

 **001 Wolf**

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She wasn't sure when she realized it. It couldn't have been more than several years ago, if she really thought on it. It would make a lot more sense if she put it that way. For some reason or another, she was now fully understanding everything. It was now falling on top of her like a tidal wave. This unseen force was slowly drowning her, crushing her lungs with such a force that she had to take a step back and recompose herself. It was slowly weighing her down, causing her feet to drag across the ground, feeling that she would crumble into a formless pile. She had known that there was something. There was this tingling sensation in the back of her mind, that led her to this conclusion. This realization.

She was in love.

Ah love was such a bizarre concept yet it was ordinary at the same time. Why? Well, it was simple, she easily and freely loved, it was not straightforward but it was not complicated either. At least not for her, because it came so naturally, like breathing. She knew this emotion all too well. She grew up surrounded and engulfed in the warm feeling. She gave it out so easily, showering anyone with it, that is, if they were willing to receive it.

Being in love was nothing new to her. It was with who, that surprised her. How could it have managed to be him of all the available options? Of course, there was nothing wrong with him. Gods no, he was absolute perfection in her eyes, which would have surely caused a disgusted snort from her younger self (should she feel so indulgent to tell her former self). From those eyes that held such life and raw emotion, just like the warring waves in the ocean. From that once squeaky prepubescent voice that had somehow managed to become such a low baritone of a purr. From that sun kissed skin that stretched over his, if not flawless, muscles built over of years of training and endless determination. From the way he carried himself, long ago shedding that shell he had once been. From how he treated everyone equally, never quick to judge another being. He was hands down, perfection to her. He simply did not follow the guidelines that she had established ,at a young age, as her perfect match.

He was not calm and mysterious. He did not brood in the background, feigning disinterest with dark eyes. He never shut anyone out. He never craved the feeling of being alone, in his own solitude, seeing how it would go against his virtue and morals. He did not defect from his beloved Village that had treated him so scornfully, in order to seek the truth. In order to gain power. He would never hurt those who cared about him. He would never intentionally hurt those who didn't know him. He would never break bonds because those were so important to him. He would never take back the promises that he had given to hopeful hearts. He was not dark and stoic.

He was different than the first guideline she had created.

He was not a genius, well maybe he truly was, but not to the standard that would have him recognized. He didn't think of countless upon countless of strategies in less than a few minutes. He was not lazy and didn't prefer to avoid responsibilities by gazing at clouds. He never said anything was troublesome because when it came to things he found important, he put his all into the activity. He was not a would be lover, ruined by a bond that can only be seen as sibling adoration. He was not someone who smelled of smoke, trying to cope with the loss of a love teacher, a second father. He was not someone captured and enthralled by a strong willed foreigner. By a woman who commanded his attention and piqued his desires since they were just barely falling into the roles of Chunin. He was not someone who sought for love in a different village, not that she held any form of ill will towards said foreigner. It had taken time but she quickly saw that they were, without a doubt, perfect for one another.

He was different than the second guideline she had created.

He was not socially inept, he rivaled her status when it came to knowing the 'who's' and 'what's' that was floating around their village. He was not raised to merely be a tool. He was not taught to feeling nothing, for his emotions and reactions were so unfiltered and unrefined. He was not artistic, skilled when it came to matters that involved ink and canvas. He did not wear such false emotions upon his face (which had taken her a matter of seconds to deduce that they were not genuine, however she played along). He doesn't call people names that they aren't. He doesn't try to lie to anyone, in order to fit in. He doesn't lead people along with a string of beautiful and unnecessary words, making her believe that she had found love in her perfect match. He was not a replacement, a replica of her first love.

He was different than the final guideline she had created.

She knew, however, that she had no right to be in love with him. She knew that is was wrong to even pine for him in the silent manner she did. She knew that the basis of her affections wouldn't make any real sense because it was so cliche. She had joked about falling for him, years after the inkling of an infatuation had blossomed. After the casual joke, his face and voice began to pop up in her mind, more often than not. She knew she had no right because in the past although it had been forgiven, far too yieldingly, her feelings were negative towards him.

Yes, she had fallen for a boy, no, man that she had been discourteous to in the past. Now, sure, she had been just a child, easily influenced by the adults around her. She simply followed suit to how they treated him not realizing that it was wrong. She had called him names as he acted disruptive in class and throughout the Village, because that was the only way to show how lonely he was. She had chided at him for being unintelligent, dead last. She had sneered at him for being unable to create a successful and basic Clone Technique. She had done wrong by him, simply because she could get away with it, like the adults.

She could not forgive herself, her Academy self. As she grew older, she still held little to no interest for him but her feelings slowly evolved, as the flow of time continued on. Especially during the Chunin Exams. She found a new respect for him and his Team as a whole. She then found herself curious about him, wanting to know more about him. She tried to seek him out, to become better acquaintances, much to his necessary and innate caution. She even went on a few low ranked missions with him and despite their similar temperament and disposition, she always had a blast being around him. He was like the Sun.

He was different that the Moon she had idolized so long ago.

Their budding...friendship...relationship? Whatever it was at the time, ended all too soon when he left to train with the Toad Sage. To become strong enough to bring back his counterpart, the Moon.

Three years.

There was a part of her that didn't care that he left. There was a part of her that was disappointed that she couldn't see where they could've gone. There was a part of her that was angry that he simply left, even though she knew that it was what he needed. There was a part of her that cried as fear struck her heart, wondering if he would actually come back. There was a part of her that was empty.

Lonely.

But she was digressing. She had no right to love him in this pitiful manner. Why? Well, she knew that his eye would never looked around to seek hers. She knew that his eyes wouldn't light up with delight by seeing her face. She knew that his face wouldn't turn a slight shade darker when he saw her. That the smile that was on his lips would never be meant for her eyes only. She knew that he would never be hers.

She was not strong, despite the years of training that she had spent underneath the tutelage of four proud and wonderful Shinobi. Despite what she had been trying to convince herself all this time, she was a fragile being. She didn't possess that near perfect Chakra Control. She didn't posses the affinity to heal so precisely. She didn't possess the capabilities to keep someone she cared for alive. Or at least not at that point in her life. She didn't have eyes that glittered a bright jade when the sun hit them perfectly at high noon. She didn't have eyes that reflected the leaves that caused the name of their Village. She didn't have eyes that darkened into hard gems, when her emotions were increasing and the stakes were high. She didn't have that bond with him. That special bond that he would risk his life over and over again for her, if it was just to keep her smiling and hopeful. She didn't capture his heart at a young age, inspiring him to aspire to become strong, just to prove that he was worthy for her. She didn't have hair that caused everyone to remember that the trees here looked magical during the Spring.

Yes, she was intelligent. Yes, she was loud and commanding. Yes, she was strong, in the areas that came naturally to her. However all of that was dull in comparison to the person who captured his heart so fully.

She could admit, at least to herself, that she had fallen in love with Uzumaki Naruto.

Who wouldn't have fallen in love with him? He had proved himself time and time again that he was worthy to be the proud Shinobi that he was today. He had exuberant warmth and affection, making it extremely difficult to despise him. He had opened his heart and mind to all those around him, exposing his hidden secrets. He had done it in such a way that she had been unable to hold back her tears. Guilt from the past began to bubble up inside her chest, causing her to regret her decision to follow the examples those older than her had set. He had been afraid of rejection yet he exposed himself anyways. All she could do at that time was accept him, because he deserved it.

He deserved so much more than what she could possibly ever give him. Who was she to want him only for herself? He wanted to give all of himself to the people that had treated him so poorly, he wanted them to love and respect him. She had no right to try to take that away from him. She had no right to take away the Hero of their Village. She had no right to try to steal him from his long time crush. She had no right to wrap him up in her arms when the Hyuuga Heiress had proudly confessed her love to him, disregarding her own close call with Death.

She, Yamanaka Ino, had no right to yearn for Uzumaki Naruto.

But Gods, did she.

She wished it was simple, but love was not simple. It was not simple but it was not difficult either, it was simply something that was and forever will be. However, she truly wished it was easy for her. That this thing that had for her dear friend would away into a love that she had for a sibling, yet it remained.

Especially after he had helped to avenge the death of her beloved Teacher. Especially after he had protected not only her but all of the Shinobi on the battlefield against Uchiha Obito and Madara. Especially after he saved the world, alongside his former Team, against Ootsutsuki Kaguya.

And especially, after the War, when they had proper time to mourn for their losses. When he had found her staring at the engraved name of her late father. When he had so forcefully pulled her into a tight embrace that she forgot how to breathe. She forgot that she was Yamanaka Ino and he, Uzumaki Naruto. When he pulled away from her, his eyes staring down at her tear stained face, wiping away the tears that continued to fall. She forgot that she was hiding her feelings for him and simply thought that maybe, just maybe that he cared for her in the same manner. When he held her for so long, that her knees grew weak and he caught her, remaining as she fell to ground in despair. He remained.

Try as she might, she couldn't rid herself of these feelings. She was stuck in this platonic limbo, unable to find the courage to confess and unable to find the reason as to why it would work. She knew that over time, she would move on. That was simply how life worked, that was simply how she worked. She had grown over time, able to move on from the past encounters she had faced with Love. But for now, she had to swallow the lump in her throat that rose whenever she watched her friends interact with one another. She had to watch him worship the very ground that her best friend walked on. She had to hear him call out her best friend's name so affectionately. She had to do all of this, in the name of love, because he deserved this happiness. This happiness that held no future with her.

She would never dare try to ruin that for him.

She would love him the only way she could, given that status of their camaraderie, she would love him from a distance. She would support him and all the decisions he chose to make. She would love him right and that was that.

No matter what happened.

* * *

Was it possible to be cursed? Was it possible that certain convictions and decisions that she made in the past, would cause her to end up in this situation? Was it possible to go back in time and strangle her precious self?

She recounted the events that had recently transpired, as she flipped the **OPEN** sign of the Yamanaka Flower Shop to **CLOSED**. A frown touched her lips as she rested the palm of her hand on the back of the sign, fingers tapping on the piece of board. She shook her head slightly as she turned away from the door, after locking it. She grabbed a clipboard from the counter before she meandered through the store, writing down what needed to be stocked and ordered.

 _The door chime clanked together in a messy jingle, signalling that a customer had arrived. She paused her ministrations, her well trained ears picking up the dull sound. Wiping off the perspiration that dotted her forehead, she stood up, wiping soil covered hands on the front of her apron. How strange. Wednesdays were days when she spent most of her time tending to the fickle plant life in the Greenhouse or potting the new seedlings that had arrived in an early morning shipment, in the back room. It wasn't often that customers came in during this day but nonetheless, she knew that it would be good for business._

 _Quickly, she made her way out of the Greenhouse, jogging to the open back door, she felt a familiar tingle run down her spine. Normally, she didn't try to sense who the customer was for it was rare that a Shinobi would come here, unless to give her a Mission Scroll. However, there was this low and steady pulse that reached out to her and instinctively she allowed her Chakra to expand, seeking out who was at the front of the shop. She felt her heart flutter and palpate briefly, the Chakra Signature immediately placing a face within her mind. Swallowing thickly, she gave herself a moment to ease her increasing nerve while placing a small smile on her lips as she came through the threshold of the door._

" _Naruto," she called out as her teal eyes landed on the person leaning against the counter, his eyes trailing around the store, looking at the new inventory that had arrived. He perked up when he heard his name, sapphire orbs flickering over to her, a smile coming to his lips. She let out a shaky breath, his reaction catching her off guard brief. She unconsciously wiped her hands off on the apron once more. "I didn't expect you of all people to come here today."_

" _Hey Ino," he replied to earlier greeting before he squinted his eyes, brow crinkled slightly as he took mild offense to her last statement. "Any why wouldn't I want to come here?"_

 _She smirked at the pout that formed on his lips and she let out a small laugh. A shrug lifted her shoulders and the back of her hand brushed off the trail of sweat that was racing down the side of her face. "You have to ask why? Let's see, the last time you came to my humble shop was when you needed flowers for Lady Tsunade's birthday and that was…" She allowed the sentence to hang, tilting her head at an angle before tapping her chin in mock thought._

" _One month ago," the darker blonde replied, his voice dropping low as the sudden realization hit him._

" _Right," she confirmed. "So you can see why I feel that you don't want to come here."_

" _Sorry Ino," he said with a deep bow of his head. She wasn't sure if he was waiting for a blow to the skull or apologizing. She was sure he was used to Sakura's violent display of affection, so she had to hold back the snort that almost left her. She reached out and ruffled the top of his head, causing him to look up at her in surprise._

" _It's fine, Naruto, I know that you have many responsibilities to handle as of late," she responded with a gentle smile, retracting her hand from his hair, fingers tingling at how soft his locks felt. She had to regain herself. She didn't need her true feelings to be exposed. She just had to be there for when he needed her and she supposed he needed her right now. She followed his earlier stance, leaning her elbows on the countertop and glancing up at him. "So, tell me, what do you need today? Flowers? Herbs? Or perhaps, you need advice on how to land a date with Forehead?" She finished as a sly grin caused her lips to curl in a feline fashion._

 _The male before her was silent for a few moments, processing a few thoughts of his own. He shook his head and leaned back over the counter as well, a low chuckle leaving him. His voice dropped down to a softer tone, that way no one who came in would hear their conversation. "Actually, I was hoping that you could help me get Sakura and Sasuke together."_

" _It'll never work, Naruto," she huffed out, her own disappointment rising. Of course, he would come to ask her how to get a date with Sakura, it made sense. She knew Sakura better than anyone else or so she hoped she still did. "She only has eyes for-" She paused as her thought process was interrupted as his words finally settled in. She slammed the palms of her hands on top of the counter. "Wait...are you serious?"_

 _He blinked a few times, wondering if she was feeling well. He tilted his head to the side as he watched the surprised expression come to her face. A frown touched his face before confusion took hold of him. "Why wouldn't I be? Are you feeling well, Ino?"_

" _I'm the one who should be asking you that," Ino sighed out, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So it is my understanding that you, Uzumaki Naruto, want to get the girl that you have longed for, for years, with your best friend, correct?" Her eyes narrowed and she leaned forward towards him, studying every little detail on his face, wondering if he had something up his sleeve. "Why?"_

 _A slight pink tint touched his cheeks as he scratched one side of his face nervously. His eyes glanced off to the side and he found himself leaning away from the intense gaze of the lighter blonde. "W-Well, now that the War is over and I've had more opportunities to think about...everything, I came to the conclusion that Sakura can only love me like a friend. I know that I will never compare to Sasuke in her-"_

 _He was silenced by the hand she raised immediately, a frown touching her lips. She didn't want to hear him compare himself to Sasuke. She knew that she wouldn't be able to control the words that would've left her. She knew that all her hard work would be ruined. She let out a heavy breath, looking back at the confused face of the male before her._

" _Fine, I'll help you," she said in an annoyed huff._

" _Really," he exclaimed with joy though it was only short lived as his own scrutinizing gaze fell upon her. He leaned forward, mimicking the exact same stance that she had prior._

" _What?" She snapped out, not enjoying having the tables flipped on her._

" _Aren't you still in love with Sasuke?" He questioned._

 _The question itself had caused her mind to cease working. The cogs and wheels in her mind stopped turning and she stood there with her mouth agape. How dare he ask her such a question, out of the blue. This wasn't about her feelings, this was about helping those two boneheads. She almost wanted to grab the front of his shirt, drag him across the counter and yell at him for even thinking that she still had feelings for that traitorous fool. Even though she understood that he had changed his ways, she still couldn't forgive all the pain that he had caused to her closest friends. She wanted to confess that her feelings were solely focused on the male awaiting her reply. She held back, however, the courage to do so was not found. The fear of rejection made her blood run cold. What also came across her mind, was the question if she still acted like she was in love with him. Did she truly seem hung up on him or any of the other false hopes that she had had in the past. Clearing her throat, she let out a low and steady breath._

" _No, I'm not," she sighed out. "I gave up on that sort of thing a long time ago. My friendship with Forehead is far too important than some...boy." With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the topic before any ill feelings began to rise in her chest. "Besides this isn't about you or me, right? However, I am curious, why are we doing this? If they want to be together then they will be, eventually."_

 _Naruto furiously shook his head, eyes narrowing slightly. "They're both too stubborn for that. Knowing that bastard, he'll ask her out when they both lay on their deathbed. That's why we have to work together to get them in a relationship as soon as possible, or else it'll never happen."_

 _Ino nodded in agreement knowing that Sakura would never make the first moves. Not after all those years of professing her love for him and getting no response. Even if the pink haired Medic had grown in confidence and strength over the years, when it came to the male of her affections, she was fragile and weak, like many in love. "Why do you care so much," she asked, her curiosity piquing._

 _Naruto blinked before a gentle smile came to his face, he leaned across the counter his arms draping over the glass countertop, his wrists dangling over on the opposite side. He wiggled his bandaged fingers, as he continued to collect his thoughts. He rested his chin in between his arms, before rolling his head to the side, resting one side of his face on the right arm. His smile never faded away._

" _I've grown up being on a Team with the two of them and despite my best efforts, Sakura has always loved Sasuke. Sure, I know she cares about me but it will never amount to what I feel for her." He let out a heavy sigh, as if he were still trying to recover from such a conclusion. "As for Sasuke, I know that what he has done can not easily be forgiven. But after all these years, I want to believe that he still held feelings for us. During our final battle, he could've killed both of us, but he hadn't. He could've abandoned Sakura when we fought against Kaguya. He could've done more than my arm. He could've done all these things but he hadn't. He still cared about us and that's why I want to help. They deserve it."_

 _She was speechless. Never had she heard him speak so...calmly about his two teammates. Watching him speak about the two he cared about was mesmerizing. The way his eyes would shimmer with affection and fondness. The way his mouth would slant into a crooked grin, as he recalled the memories. The way he seemed to radiate and glow with overwhelming warmth. Surely, Sakura had to know the opportunity that she was missing. Surely, Sasuke understood what kind of threat Naruto could have become. And of all times, she wished that she could be the reason behind his smile. The reason behind such an unconditional love._

" _I understand," she said gently, finding that she too, was smiling affectionately at his reasons. "I don't know how much harder I can push Forehead, but I'll do my best."_

" _Thanks Ino! You're a really great person." Naruto said with a brilliant smile._

 _She felt her heart clench, knowing that he was wrong. She wasn't a good person. She was seething and drowning in jealousy. She knew that she still had no chance to be with him, even though he was giving up on the idea of dating Sakura. He didn't understand these tainted feelings that she had. He didn't understand that she wished he cared for her in such a way._

" _Anyways, I was thinking that the two of you could go eat at-"_

She sighed as she hung the chart she had been scribbling on the back door. She gave the front area one final sweep of the eye, before she turned off the light. Locking the back door, she slowly ambled up the stairs to her left, headed to the apartment above the shop. After the War had ended, she had built a place above her Father's Shop, her old home destroyed when Pein attacked. With dragging footsteps, she made her way to her bedroom, falling into the comforts of her cold sheets. Letting out a heavy sigh, she supposed that she could live with this. Watching those around her fall in love, while she waited for someone to catch her eye. Well, someone who could love her in the way she wanted to be loved. She supposed that this is what she could do for her friends. This was what she could do for Naruto.

No matter how much it stung.

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Wolf by Now Now**

 **So, this is the beginning of the NaruIno story that I have always wanted but never could find on FF. I simply decided that I should write what I wanted and then come back and read it all over again, when I had the craving. As usual, I have no idea how long this story will be, since I want it to be the same story that I have in my mind, it could take a while for things to happen. I hope you all don't mind that :D Anyways, this was the first installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **, I hope you enjoyed it! I look forward to your feedback! Thank you for reading! -Tinyraver**


	2. Secret

_**AN: I just want to say that there will be no bashing of any characters in this story. Some things I write may seem that way, but I can only see them as the character's way of showing affection (ie. Naruto calling Sasuke a bastard and vice versa). Also, I truly truly truly value female friendships and friendships in general. There will be no shape or form of bashing on relationships in this story but I will bring up questionable things that I have thought of while reading Naruto and Naruto Gaiden. Also, I normally don't mind reviews that are...critiquing my story but if you don't like the story then there's no need to review it. There's no need to bash anyone's ideas, fanfictions are creative outlets and I will continue to write this story how I see fit. Yes, it got under my skin a bit but only because it was a rather rude way of saying how the story was not to a certain liking. -gets off soapbox- Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and what not. I'm not sure how I like it but it will help with the flow of the story. Happy reading~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Language, Violence and Sexual Themes.**_

 _ **Legend: Italics for Telepathic Communication and Random Things.**_

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 **002 Secret**

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If today could have gone any worse, it would have. That's what she had decided. The fates were against her. She was almost certain now that she was cursed. It seemed only right.

There was this excruciating pain that made it feel like her head was going to split into two halves and some foreign being would pop out. It started at the tip of her nose, following up the nasal cavity before branching out and stretching into her eye sockets. From there, it climbed up towards her temples, pulsing angrily throughout the day. No matter how much Mystic Palm Chakra she pumped into her skull, to soothe the pain, the pulsating tremors wouldn't leave. She supposed it had something to do with the broken nose she had suffered earlier that morning. She supposed it had something to do with the chaos during her shift at the hospital. She supposed into had something to do with running face first into on of the shelves at her store.

She supposed it was because she was cursed.

As she apprenticed underneath, Morino Ibiki, she had plenty of opportunities to practice an arsenal of her Family Techniques. After the death of her father, she rightfully so found her calling within the Torture and Intelligence Department. Despite knowing that she was going to be there eventually, she was truly comfortable within the Department. Of course, it was more than simply interrogation and torture, they also looked for research advances with technology, the Archives not too far from their reaches. She knew that that were reconstructing a Telepathic Communication Unit within their labs and she was proud to say that she was heavily involved in its development. However, this morning, she had had different ideas on her training.

Currently, she was working on a new Technique to add to the mountains of scrolls in her home. This Technique would allow her to stay in a semi-conscious state throughout an interrogation. The idea was to gather information for the mind of her target without being obvious. Her Mind Techniques either required her soul to leave her body, which left her vulnerable or she had to come into direct contact with the target. This idea was to eliminate both of those two inconveniences, especially should she be on a mission alone. But she was up with multiple roadblocks when it came to progress. Such as falling face first onto the tiled floor thus causing her to break her nose. Of course, she had been expecting to have such difficulties, so she wasn't to surprised but that didn't lessen the pain radiating throughout her skull.

What frustrated her the most was the fact that Ibiki was a harsh critic. When she had regained consciousness, he was crouching beside her, his eyes full of hidden concern and mild disappointment. It was very rare that he gave her praise and compliments as to how far she had come along. Not that she minded, she didn't need anyone to sugar coat her failures and success. She understood that his teaching methods strayed from the norm. So, she had sat up, staring down at her legs, while explaining what she had wanted to accomplish during that session and why she concluded it was a failure.

The good thing about training under Ibiki was that he understood the mind. His own Techniques dealt with the mind as well, which was impressive seeing how it was considered a Bloodline Technique. She often wondered if somewhere in his family lineage, there had been a Yamanaka. It wouldn't have surprised her at all, seeing how many Bloodline Techniques were relatives or a mutation of one.

However, Ibiki felt that she was being too ambitious, which was only right at her given age, when it came to creating new Techniques. It took years to properly mold the perfect amount of Chakra. It took years to figure out what Hand Sign to use. The mind was a fragile and delicate item, for all parties involved. Should she mess up in the slightest, she could ruin her target's mind or worse, her own. She had to be extremely careful when testing out her new Techniques or else she could end up with worse than a broken nose. She had been chided for not taking a more cautious approach. Despite his harsh exterior, she knew that Ibiki cared for her, taking the role of an authoritative male figure in her life, seeing how he had always been close with the Yamanaka family. She took the critique that was given, without fighting back which was quite the feat for the quick tempered blonde. He had teased her appearances and she stuck her tongue out at him before she promptly healed her broken nose.

Like he was one to talk.

After her morning session at the T & I Department, she headed over to the hospital, despite the stares at to why she had blood caked and dried down her chin and onto the front of her shirt. She had been asked to cover a shift a few days prior which would lead her into the late afternoon. Arriving at the hospital, she scrubbed off her sore face and changed into a different top, one that was left in her locker a long time ago. Sliding on her white coat, she was immediately thrown into the chaos that was the Konoha Hospital.

A new trainee had been so flustered while adjusting to the hectic pace. While trying to clean out a waiting room and then immediately heading to watch a non-invasive surgery, they had dropped a container of used syringes on the floor, in the middle of a high traffic hallway. _Code Orange_.

The clean-up didn't take too long but she almost felt bad for the trainee, the tears in his eyes were unshed while he was being scolded by his supervisor. She knew what it was like to be brought into this crazy life. A love-hate relationship would be formed after a week fews of being in the Hospital but it was all worth it. To see the relieved patients, accompanied by the joyful cries from those who cared for them, it was certainly worth it.

 _Code Orange All Clear._

Then while she had been giving a physical to an aspiring Academy student, the P.A. system left out a small alarm, causing her to halt. A gentle voice came over the intercom, asking for assistance. She abruptly left the child, along with his mother down to the ground floor. An outpatient had gone into cardiac arrest in the middle of the lobby. _Code Blue._

After stabilizing the vitals of the patient, she headed back to the room she had previously been in. She apologized for the inconvenience of her sudden departure but it had been a medical emergency. She continued through the physical, before handing over a Form of Consent, which would allow the small boy entrance into the Academy. She waved off the happy boy and his worried mother, before letting out a sigh. She went through the same motions, giving out four other physicals to other anxious children, only having to turn down one applicant because they were not of age yet.

 _Code Blue All Clear._

She collapsed into a chair in the Mess Hall, staring down at the lunch that she had prepared for herself last night. It all honesty, she didn't have the strength to eat. Today had certainly been extremely hectic and she could only blame her lack of Lady Luck. She rubbed her temples with a soothing green Chakra, trying to ease the oncoming headache. She flinched as other being plopped down in front of her, teal eyes glancing up to see matching, in expression, emerald ones.

"What a day, huh," she murmured out to her friend.

The pink haired Medic groaned as she pulled her hair from her updo, which meant that she had recently been in surgery. "Tell me about it," she grumbled as she ruffled her hair and slowly began to open up her container of food. "I feel like every Code that can happen will happen today."

"And here I thought I was the only one," the blonde mused with a small smile, munching on the tomatoes in her lunch. "Anyways, are you ready for tonight?"

"I don't know if I'll be able to make it tonight, I'm exhausted," Sakura groaned, sipping on what was probably her fifth cup of coffee that day.

"Oh no you don't, Forehead," Ino chided out. "I have suffered too much today for you to back out tonight. Besides, when was the last time we actually had a night off with one another?" The blonde questioned, pointing a fork at the pink haired woman across from her, before digging into the mediocre omelet and meat selection she had.

The Medic tossed her head from left to right as she chewed on her food and thought about what her friend had said. It certainly had been a while since they had gone out, it was turning into four months now. She had been surprised when the blonde had asked a few days ago to hand out, usually she was the one trying to catch up to Ino's hectic schedule. She thought that she was a workaholic, but Ino certainly had spread herself thin over the last year, taking hold of all the opportunities that came her way. She nodded her head in agreement, taking another swig of her, now cold, coffee.

"You're right, besides I'm free until my evening shift tomorrow," Sakura stated with a slight grin. "So we might as well have fun tonight."

"That's what I like to hear," Ino said with a grin and they erupted with laughter as they began to recall their last escapade. Their moment of peace ended as soon as it started, the beepers attached to their waists were set off. Both females snatched up the tiny device, before giving each other a similar look. They quickly discarded their meals, speeding off down the hallways. _Code Yellow_.

On the other side of the Konoha Hospital property, they found a small child wandering the hallways, crying for her mother. A sigh of relief came through the two females as they rushed to aid the young girl. She had wandered off while her parents had been talking with a nurse about an upcoming surgery for her brother. She supposed that the conversation had been lengthy since the girl had managed to come all the way here. A missing child was not something that they had inexperience with but it was certainly not something that they took lightly. Especially seeing how the child could have been abducted. After returning the child to her fearful parents, Ino and Sakura parted their ways, promising to meet up later that night.

 _Code Yellow All Clear_.

* * *

"How did he manage to get a coin in his nose," Ino asked with an incredulous tone. "It's like...bigger than the nostril itself."

Sakura let out a laugh and shrugged. "I have no idea really, children get creative when there are no adults around." She shook her head recalling the memory while nursing a cup of sake.

"They sure do," Ino muttered under her breath with a huff, taking hold of the neck of her beer bottle and gulped down the rest of the contents. A satisfied noise left her as she set the bottle down on the tabletop, her eyes glanced over at the clock hanging on the restaurant's wall. Just how late were they going to be?

"Is everything alright?"

She jumped a bit looking over at the concerned face of her friend. "Yeah, why?"

"You just keep looking over at the clock." Sakura wrapped her arms around herself, a dejected look coming to her face.

Shit. Was she being that obvious? Then again, Sakura would notice those minute details. She reached her hand out across the table, wiggling her fingers and gently beckoning for the Medic to take hold of her awaiting hand. When she did, Ino held her hand in a firm grip as a fond smile came to her lips. "You know, it's been awhile since we've last done something like this. I just can't believe how fast time is passing."

"Ino," Sakura groaned out, pulling her had free and covering the embarrassed flush coming to her face. "You're such a sap."

The two women began to laugh, while enjoying their third round of drinks. The blonde felt relieved as she averted a small crisis. It wasn't she was being dishonest, she truly enjoyed spending time with her long time rival and friend. She felt that now, their bond was stronger than ever. Of course, Ino had still played the role of fawning over the Uchiha. It was only to help fuel the Medic's confidence. It wasn't for a while that Ino realized that Sakura didn't need that kind of boost in confidence. What she needed was someone who would be there when she had her doubts. She needed someone to be there to pull her out of her head. She needed someone who could help take her mind off things.

So that was when Ino had let go of her crush, even though it really wasn't that difficult. She had given up a long time ago, pursuing different options, not like any of those had worked out for her. She had been lost, not sure how to feel. She had started with an apology to Lady Tsunade's apprentice, which had brought upon a lengthy conversation about the past. There were also many moments of laughter as they thought back to when they were young and naive. All in all, Ino was happy that things had been resolved between the two of them. She had greatly missed Sakura.

The two of them had been idly gossiping when a familiar sensation tickled her spine. Coming around the corner, she spotted the two men she had been expecting to see tonight. A small choke came from the woman across from her as her jade eyes landed on them. She wiped the drink that had dribbled down her chin and smoothed out her hair. The Medic watched as the two men slowly made their way towards them, wondering if they had seen them. Wondering if he had seen her. She felt a drop in her confidence, her eyes slowly falling to the fidgeting hands in her lap.

"Oui Sakura! Ino!" Naruto exclaimed as he stopped in front of their booth. "I didn't know you guys would be here too!"

Ino was glad that the blonde male naturally sounded so surprised and energetic or else everything would seem forced, planned. Her eyes flickered over to his silent companion, nodding her head to acknowledge him, he responded in the same manner.

"So what are you doing," Naruto prodded, leaning against the side of the booth.

"We're having a girls' night out, obviously," Ino replied with a roll of her eyes. "No boys allowed." She ended while sticking out her tongue at them.

"Girls' night out, huh? And what will you girls be doing?"

Ino had to hold back the innuendo that was at the tip of her tongue. She had been spending far too many missions with that mangy Dog Boy. "Well, if you're just dying to know...we're going to drink our asses off and maybe get a bit frisky with some lucky guys, then call it a night."

"Ino!" Sakura cried out, a dark shade of rose dusting across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. She couldn't believe the 'Devil-May-Care' attitude that her friend had. Then again they were already heading into their fourth round of drinks, the Medic knew that Ino became a bit more...unreserved. It wasn't like she minded that the Mindwalker was vocal about their activities, Hell, when they got together it was no secret as to what they did. However, in front of the man of her desires, she had really hoped that Ino would hold back. Thinking of him, she glanced over towards him, hoping that something could rile him up, even in the slightest. She deflated slightly as his expression remained impassive.

"So you're sure there's no room to join you two," Naruto asked with a crooked grin, his eyes narrowing slightly.

The Yamanaka Heiress stared at him for a moment, her heart fluttering at the hooded gaze that was given. Shaking those thoughts from her head, she glanced over at her pink haired companion, as if asking her if it was alright. The Medic responded with a meek nod, though her eyes held a bit out excitement and fear. Ino sighed and rolled her eyes, flicking her hand towards them. "Fine, I guess you both could entertain us for a while. Right, Sakura?"

"S-Sure, I don't see a problem with that," she murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

A holler of excitement left the Nine-Tails Holder before he motioned for Ino to move over. She complied immediately, a grin coming to her lips as the Uchiha moved to the opposite side to sit by Sakura. The medic moved over so fast that Ino swore she almost slammed into the wall. She bit her lower lip to hold back the giggle that threatened to leave her. Well, at least this was a step in the right direction.

"Oh my bag!" The Mind Walker exclaimed, reaching over Naruto to grab her belongings. She placed a hand on his upper thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. She felt him jump then tense as her Chakra infiltrated his system. Settling back into her spot, she smiled sheepishly, oblivious to the stares that she was given from the opposite side of the table. "Sorry."

The blonde male shook his head, waving off her apology before loudly calling the server over for drinks and food.

' _Took you long enough,'_ she chided into his mind.

' _It was harder than expected to get the bastard out of the house,'_ he replied back to her while delving into the latest of his adventures.

She leaned forward on the table, feigning normalcy as she listened to his story, a smile laying on her lips. ' _Are you sure about this working? We're not forcing this too much, are we?'_

' _Relax, Ino. You'll see, it'll work out just fine.'_

* * *

She wasn't sure how long they had been there, creating a stir in the restaurant but she knew that she was definitely drunk. Empty plates and glasses were cluttering the table, she had lost count after their sixth round. Teal hues glanced over towards her friend, who was probably going to regret drinking so much tomorrow morning. She looked at the male beside her, noting that the tips of his ears were beginning to turn red but that was the only sign he gave off. She looked at the male beside, his antics were still boisterous and animated, a healthy flush on his cheeks as he calmed down from laughing.

This was going better than expected.

Ever since the men had arrived, the conversation flow had been healthy. The Uchiha had changed ever since coming back to the village, no doubt that it had something to do with his teammates. Still, he was far more reserved than all of them, but he joined in the conversations they had. She didn't miss the slight curl of his lips when he found something entertaining. This was the first time she had seen the Uchiha in this atmosphere. It certainly suited him better than how he used to be as a child. She could understand why Sakura adored the raven haired male in such a manner. She could understand why Naruto believed that the Uchiha Heir was a good man, underneath the facade he put up. In that moment, she was truly happy for their Team. However, it was only slightly that she felt that she didn't belong with them. She didn't share the same memories with them. She didn't have that bond.

"Ino, answer the question," Naruto exclaimed, nudging his shoulder into her own, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, what was it?" The Mind Walker asked, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment. She couldn't believe that she had been caught spacing out.

"I asked if you were interested in anyone, Pig," Sakura asked, finally gaining more confidence with a little help from all the Liquid Courage she drank.

The Yamanaka Heiress felt her face felt up, tossing a glare to her smug friend across the table. Usually, they would discuss the people that they were interested in between just themselves, it seemed that the Medic was getting revenge from earlier. She tilted her head to the side, tapping her chin in mock thought. She allowed herself time to make them believe that she was actually thinking before she shook her head, shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm not necessarily looking but no one has caught my attention." Ino replied, knowing that would be enough to ease everyone's curiosity.

"Oh really," the Medic said, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward. "No one….at all?"

A slender brow twitched in irritation, wondering where the Medic was going with this. "Yeah, Forehead, no one at all. Why are you pushing this?"

A smug grin came the Medic's lips and she leaned back in the booth, crossing her arms over her chest. Ino's brows furrowed further, not picking up on what her friend was trying to say. Normally, she would be able to pick up subtle indications as to what someone was trying to tell her. After all, that was what her occupation required of her. She further blamed the alcohol for causing her to fall short. "What?" The Yamanaka snapped out, becoming increasingly frustrated.

A deep chuckle left the raven beside the Medic, turquoise hues flickered over to the Uchiha, the back of his hand covering the grin that had come to his lips. Now, the Yamanaka was coming close to the brink of anger. What was so damn amusing?

"I think what Sakura is implying," the Uchiha started off, unable to wipe the smirk on his lips. "Is that, the two of you look oddly comfortable with one another."

Blinking, the Yamanaka leaned back into the booth, only to feel the back of her neck land on the outstretched arm that Naruto had placed behind her, to rest on top of the seat. She chided internally to herself to remain calm as she glanced over at the Uzumaki. He seemed to have the same confused look on his face and when he turned to look at her, it was only then that she realized how close they were to one another. They were close enough that she could feel his warm breath graze her face slightly, their legs were touching slightly. She hadn't realized that she been leaning her body into his, thanks to the excitement buzzing in the air and the influence of alcohol. It was then that she began to feel awkward but she had to overcome this. She had to show them that she wasn't interested. She had to change the subject.

Immediately.

"So what of it," Ino snapped out. "That doesn't mean anything, unlike the two of you." She pointed out, a devious grin coming to her lips. "Don't you believe, you guys are too quick to judge?"

That was when the two of them noted that they were in a similar position as the opposite blondes. A deep red touched the Medic's cheeks as she pulled her arms towards the center of her lap, shoulders shying away from the Uchiha. There was a heavy sigh from the dark haired male, his outstretched arm moving away from around the shoulder of female beside him. During that time, she had skillfully moved a few inches away from Naruto and he had pulled his arm away from near her. Another crisis diverted, she thought in relief.

"Besides, there's a certain Hyuuga that has caught our Hero's attention, right?" Ino asked, continuing to push the conversation away from her interests.

A small chuckle left the Uzumaki and he scratched his cheek in embarrassment. That seemed to get the attention of his female teammate and Ino grinned to herself. The Medic began to interrogate her blonde teammate with such vigor and intensity, Ino wondered if she could help out at the T & I Department. She shivered, feeling as if someone was watching her, glancing up, she met dark onyx eyes. She could almost feel him try to prod her for answers but she simply rolled her eyes, looking back at the sweating Uzumaki being questioned by the Medic.

No one needed to know.

* * *

"Thanks for the fun night," Ino sang out, waving at the two men, who returned the gesture while heading off in a different direction. She sighed slightly, glancing down at the Medic who she had resting on her back. An affectionate grin came to her lips as she pushed the pink haired woman up higher on her back, tightening her grip further underneath her thighs.

"Come on, let's get you home," Ino said gently.

There was a slight groan that left the nearly unconscious female as Ino made her way towards her house, carrying her friend on her back. "Don't you dare vomit on me, Haruno," Ino warned teasingly, knowing that she really wouldn't mind. The Medic had drank far beyond her limit. There was a murmured warning from Sakura but Ino didn't hear all of it. The blonde chuckled under her breath as she walked through the silent village, the moon illuminating the path home.

"Ino," Sakura weakly called out.

"Hmm," Ino hummed out, waiting for Sakura to continue.

She felt Sakura's arms hold onto her tighter, her head burying itself in her hair. Her legs swung a bit, nearly knocking off Ino's balance. Steadying them, Ino continued on their way, knowing what Sakura was going to say.

"Are you sure that you don't like anyone?"

Scratch that. She had no idea what the hell was going on in her friend's head. Ino looked up at the sky as she thought about gushing out her infatuation for Naruto to her best friend. She sighed heavily, knowing that Sakura probably wouldn't remember much of it, so there was no point. "You know me, I can only love myself," Ino teased out.

"Ino, I'm being serious," Sakura whined. Ino could feel the pout on the back of her neck.

"I know, I know," Ino sighed gently. "Look, like I said before, I'm not interested in anyone right now. Why are you so concerned about me? What about you and the Uchiha?"

"I just want you to be happy for once," Sakura murmured.

This caused Ino to stop walking, she glanced over her shoulder, realizing that Sakura had fallen into a deep slumber. Gritting her teeth, she wondered if Sakura had noticed that she had, indeed, been lonely. Not like it mattered anyways, she cared more about her friends' happiness than hers. That was why her father had been so proud of her. She put others before herself. She knew one day that she would find her own happiness but for now, she wanted to give Sakura what she deserved. How long had she been pining for the Uchiha's attention. Ino was sure that tonight was the start of him returning those affections. She just wanted the Medic to be happy, no matter how she felt.

Making it to her home, she placed the snoozing woman in her bed, tucking her friend in and leaving a glass of water on the nightstand. She stared at the scene, a small smile on her lips. Ino could hear Sakura faintly call out to the man of her desires before rolling over in the bed. Rolling her eyes, the blonde headed to the other side of the bed, climbing in. She stared up at the ceiling, wondering what she was going to do now. It was obvious that Naruto's planned had worked, there was really no reason to continue to push them.

She thought back to how natural it felt to be nestled near him. It was probably because he gave off that protective allure. That warm glow. She hadn't thought that anything had been wrong with how they looked. There were many times that Shikamaru had done the same thing when they went out to eat. It was for comfort. That's all it was. That's what she had to tell herself. Besides, he seemed so embarrassed at the mention of the Hyuuga Heiress. It wasn't like he would any feelings towards her.

They were simply friends.

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Secret by Maroon 5**

 **So I think that this story won't really have a plot line. Just two idiots falling in love and what not. If you're looking for any form of drama or action, that may not happen, I haven't decided yet. This may simply be just a romantic and happy little story. I hope you all don't mind. Also, the whole sitting situation, let me explain. I've been many a places where a guy will sling his arm over the back of a seat to show that he's comfortable. So that's where I got the idea from, but obvious that's not what this is about in the story. Right? Mutual feelings involved blah blah blah kiss kiss fall in love. I hope you enjoyed the second installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Hahaha thank you for reading and as always, feedback is appreciated! - Tinyraver**


	3. Chasing Pavements

_**AN: Thank you for all the love and reviews! I really appreciate it :D As I said, there will be no character bashing, however I am bringing up points that I have to consider myself. The whole Sasuke and Sakura relationship is a real mystery to me. Like how did that even work? Like, I could go on as to why I do not agree with their relationship but I won't. I'll state again that I haven't watched the Last Naruto Movie, so I don't know how Hinata and Naruto fell in love, this is simply how I have viewed things. I want Naruto to be perceptive about all that has happened. So that's the man that we have. This is simply a story of idiots falling in love, that is all. I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Happy reading~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Violence, Language and Sexual Themes.**_

* * *

 **003 Chasing Pavements**

* * *

"Where do you want this?"

She lifted and turned her head to gaze upon a brilliant sight. In all honesty, this view never got old to her. He had been coming by every Wednesday to help out, despite her protests. She was capable of handling a few cases and trays of seedlings and other plant life. However, seeing him milling through her store so naturally, well it sort of tugged at the fragile strings of her heart. Wearing his mesh undershirt and obnoxiously bright orange jacket tied around his waist, Naruto was juggling a few delicate new pieces of inventory. His arms flexed and shuddered as he shifted the weight up with his knee, to keep a better grip.

"Oh those have to go in the Greenhouse," she replied, moving to stand up and get the door but he shook his head. From the inside of her shop, a Clone of his came out, with less items and the two headed over to the humid building behind her place. She rolled her eyes, knowing that he had no idea where to place them. Getting up from her kneeling position, she dusted the soil off her hands and legs, following after the pair.

Entering through the cracked door of the Greenhouse, she inhaled the musty air that was within the acrylic glass building. She pushed back some of the dangling vines, reminding herself that she needed to trim them later. Moving through the flora, she could hear the confused sounds of Naruto and his Clone bickering with one another. Chuckling gently as they came into view, she cleared her throat, raising a slender brow at the two. The pair stopped and turned to look at her sheepishly.

"I need the first two trays over there and the other four on the other side next to the herbs," she stated while pointing her fingers in appropriate direction.

"Right away, Boss," the Clone chirped out, taking the larger load away.

Grimacing slightly at the slight glare that was thrown at the real Naruto, the blonde male let out a gentle chuckle. "I thought you said they wouldn't call me that anymore," Ino chided, as she moved closer to him, taking the trays out of his hand and slowly arranging them where they should go.

"Like they listen," he replied. "Besides, being the Boss isn't a bad thing."

The blonde female simply rolled her eyes as she buried her fingers into the warm soil, placing each seedling in their proper place on the hydroponic system. She had learned a few more things about the Uzumaki, now that he was popping up more often. All of his Clones were connected to him but they sometimes had their own minds. It seemed that most of them enjoyed calling her 'Boss' whenever they showed up to work under her. She had asked him once if it was an insult, but he assured her it wasn't. Now the Yamanaka knew that she could get a bit...ahead of herself, especially when she had to deal with Shikamaru for most of her life. It was just that she didn't like to be reminded of her tendencies.

"Wow, don't you think that you have too many plants," Naruto stated in an awe filled tone, glancing around at the rich and lush greenery surrounding them.

"Well, as you know, the Yamanaka Flower Shop not only provides a variety of flora for Konoha but we also ship out goods to other countries." She glanced at the fruits of her endless labor. "We proudly flaunt that we have an extremely wide selection that many people want. Besides, some herbs that are needed for antidotes are too far, so this Greenhouse helps to keep those rare herbs cultivated within the Village walls."

"Like this one," Naruto asked, his thumb carefully running over a leaf that possessed a cluster of light blue berries beneath its prickly leaves. "This one helps to cure...err...fatigue, right?"

One thing she had also learned about Naruto was that he knew a few things about plants and flowers. It had surprised her that he knew about a few of the plants that she had been growing, as not many Shinobi could compare in her knowledge in botany. She also learned that his favorite flower was the Sunflower, which she found that it suited him in his vibrancy. She stood up and glanced over at the plant that he was currently talking about. "Actually, that one is a poisonous plant," she stated, laughing as he quickly let out go of leaf in between his fingers. "Don't worry, it's only poisonous if you eat them."

"Why you keep something like that here?" A pout coming to his lip as he realized that he had been tricked.

"As a Medic, I like to keep my wits about me when it comes to knowing different components to poisons and what not. Who knows, one day it might save your life," she said throwing a wink at him.

"Yeah right, Kurama would save me before that happened."

"Watch out, it may come back and bite you in the ass," she teased out, turning to head over to where is Clone had gone.

He followed after her exclaiming rather loudly that he was the greatest Shinobi in the whole world and that a poison wasn't something that was going to stop him. She could only laugh, knowing that he was probably right.

* * *

Shaken.

That was the feeling that was coursing through her veins at this point. They had made it back safely to the village, that was the only relief that she had felt since his recovery. She still wasn't sure how it had happened but she knew that she was definitely cursed. How could she have known that her teasing remarks would have brought upon this misfortune? How could she have known that she was going to be at fault for this latest mission. Of course, she knew he wouldn't see it in that manner but the guilt consumed her.

There were people waiting for them by the gates, concern and fear etched into their features. She had managed to isolate and extract the poison from his body but he still needed time to recover. She knew that she wasn't proficient in the arts of healing, like Sakura but she knew any and every thing about poisons and antidotes. She always kept an array of herbs in her Medical Pouch at all times, even though her Shadow User teammate would complain that it was pointless. She wished that she could rub it in his face that she had proved him right, like she normally did, but this wasn't the time or place.

They had been ambush from the moment that they crossed the borders, an unknown enemy had been plotting and awaiting their arrival. It was supposed to be a simple mission, gathering information on the sudden disappearance of Shinobi ranging from all age groups. They needed someone who could easily talk with people and one who could easily make them seem less suspicious. That was why the Uzumaki and Nara were placed on her Team. She simply needed to gather access to a suspicious few's minds, in order to complete the mission. They had been outclassed and outnumbered. There was no doubt in any of their minds that they should pull back, despite having the Hero of Konoha on their squad. He had been ambushed by a few laced blades, causing his body to go into shock.

It had taken them over an hour to get to a safer location. While Shikamaru sent out a hawk with a message to prepare the Hospital for their arrival, Ino had began to tend to the unconscious blonde. She had been caught off guard when Kurama had taken over his body, telling her what exactly was happening to his container's body. She nodded as he listed the symptoms and she made a pile of the herbs that she needed. While chewing on the herbs to make it easier for him to swallow when she gave it to Naruto, she used her Mystic Palm to find where the poison had collected.

There was a spot in his arm and two in his side. Using water from her canteen, she created a mold of water, slamming it into his body and collecting the water into the sphere before pulling it out. She grimaced at the pain wheeze that left the male beneath her, knowing that there was no gentle way of doing this procedure. Once that was complete, she placed the chewed ball of herbs in his mouth along with some water in order for it to safely travel down into his system. They didn't have to wait around to see if any lingering effects had been neutralized. Shikamaru slung one arm around his shoulder and she did the same to other side, they nodded at one another before retreating back to the safety of their Village.

She swore she would pummel his brains out for being so moronic. She knew that he was unable to control himself when it came to battle by throwing himself in the line of fire but he had jumped out to protect her from a blow from behind. The damned fool. She knew that she wasn't necessarily needed for Hand to Hand combat but that was why she had been training with Sakura so often. She knew that she had to become stronger in order to not be a burden. Yet he had so carelessly protected her from the laced blades. Gritting her teeth together, she promised herself that she wouldn't allow something like this to happen ever again.

He had regained consciousness by the time they were only ten minutes away from the gates of Konoha. He could only laugh at the verbal lashing at the fiery blonde had given him, he could see the fear stricken look on her face. It was thanks to the Nara's calm and collected attitude that the Mind Walker had calmed down, choosing to bite the inside of her cheek. Once they made it back to the village, Naruto was immediately taken from their arms, the Hyuuga Heiress worriedly following behind his surrogate grandmother and his female teammate. She watched as they went, feeling the need to follow after them but she knew that he was in good hands. She knew that he was in good hands but that didn't lessen the burning desire to run and be by his side. But what stopped her was that the people who love him most were at his side, she had no right to follow so desperately after him.

She sniffed slightly, resisting the urge to allow her emotions to crumble. She could keep herself composed until she was in the comforts of her home. She glanced over her shoulder, watching the interaction of her teammate and his lover. The Sand Kunoichi frowned as she touched the side of his bruised face, muttering something underneath her breath. He leaned his forehead towards her, resting it on top of hers. They shared that moment with one another silently, thanking a higher power that he had made it out of the ambush alive. Teal eyes glanced away, feeling this stabbing pain in her chest. A sense of longing filling her being, turning away to head home, she was met with an unexpected person.

What did he want?

* * *

After that incident, she refused to let him live down the fact that he had been so careless. Whether she was blatantly telling him how much of an idiot he had been or passively stating something that reminded him of his past events, there was no escaping the wrath of the scathing beast that was Yamanaka Ino. It wasn't until after a while that he began to get fed up with the way she was handling everything. It wasn't like he had died ( _ **could**_ _have died_ her voice would seethe out at him), he was still walking about as if nothing happened, much to her chagrin. She had calmed down after a while but somehow, she would bring back up the mission in some obscure fashion that made his blood slowly begin to boil. Then again, Kurama had showed him the panicked look that had come across her face while healing him. He had seen a familiar fear fill her eyes as she worked on taking out the poison. He could remember the way her hands trembled as she tried her best to concentrate. It was almost as if her actions were speaking for her.

 _Don't you dare die, idiot._

Still, it did nothing to ease the wrath that she threw at him. One day, two weeks ago, had happened to be the day that he snapped back at her. She had been relatively calm that day, working in her garden quietly until he had dropped something. She made a biting comment of him being careless, just like that mission, or something like that. He had replied in a equally snarky tone, which now he realized that was the wrong move to make against the short-tempered blonde. Thus, a screaming match ensued between the two of them, one so heated that they ended up breathless. Had it stopped there? Of course not because they were similar in not only appearance but temperament. Normally, under any circumstances, Naruto would not fight a female, especially one that he considered a friend but as childish as it sounded, she threw the first punch. Now, he had suffered many a punches in his lifetime, thanks to not only Sakura but Tsunade as well. This was the first time that Ino had ever hit him, or that he could recall, and by Gods did that punch hurt like a bitch.

They tussled and scrapped like Academy children in the middle of her garden. Sure, to any passerby, they would seem like they were just playing around but the Yamanaka Heiress was out for blood. When all their energy had been spent, they laid on the ground covered in grass, soil and blood. Whoever thought that the Yamanaka wasn't skilled when it came to fighting Hand to Hand, they were dead wrong. Not only was she agile but she was flexible, which made it difficult to get a hold of her in order to calm her down. He wondered how Shikamaru and Chouji survived her wrath for all of these years (he later found out that they had never physically fought against her). When he glanced over at her slightly bruised face and busted lip, he could see the tears falling from her eyes. He went to question the reason for her tears, but it was like she caught second wind and began throwing garden equipment at him. He hightailed it out of her property when she went to grab the wheelbarrow, telling him to never speak to her again.

Man, was she a pain or what? Her temper and emotions were by far worse than Sakura's occasional mood swing. As problematic as she be, he knew that he should at least apologize. Two weeks without talking to the Yamanaka was ill fitting for him. He missed stopping by once a week, learning more in the fields of botany. He missed the meals she would occasionally cook, after a long day in the Greenhouse. Kurama missed them too ( he could hear the sneer in the Fox's voice denying that he didn't miss those meals). Honestly. there was no reason to be upset anymore. He knew that he had been reckless but more than anything the guilt for causing her to worry so much was causing him to cave in on himself.

He knew that she should man up. Why was it taking him so long to make things right with her? He knew that he was being an idiot by prolonging it but it wasn't like she had made any effort. A sour expression came to his face as he leaned across the table, a huff of frustration leaving him. Azure hues glanced up at his counterpart, an uninterested gaze boring into his skull.

"What is it," the Uchiha snapped out in annoyance, disliking the mood that his friend was in.

"What do you do when someone is upset with you?" The blonde questioned.

A droll stare was thrown at him and the Uchiha shook his head in disbelief. "You apologize, moron."

"What if an apology isn't good enough?"

Setting down his cup of tea, he did his best to hide the smirk that was coming to his lips. "Then you better pray they don't kill you."

"Bastard! You're not helping," The Uzumaki grumbled out. A small groan left him as he flicked away a crumb that was on the table. "Do you think she will forgive me?"

"Who? Sakura? She usually does."

Naruto threw a pointed glare, the underlying message passed between them. The Uchiha leaned back in his seat, mulling over a few thoughts of his own. "So, it's the Yamanaka girl," he mused aloud, watching his friend nod in confirmation. He held back that sigh that threatened to leave him, knowing that both blondes were being childish at this point. "You know, she asked about you the other day."

The blonde shot up from the position of his body haphazardously draped across the table in mild despair. "Really?!" He cleared his throat, an embarrassed laugh leaving him. "Well...uh...what did she say?"

Rolling his two toned eyes, he shook his head once more. "She asked if you were doing well. Eating properly, the usual things during idle conversation." He shrugged his shoulders, glancing away from the anxious male. "That's all."

The Uzumaki nodded in response before his eyes narrowed slightly. "Wait, what were you two doing together?"

A bit back a groan, knowing that he should have never have said anything. When he didn't respond, that only seemed to egg on the questions coming from the blonde.

"It's none of your concern."

* * *

She felt him long before he had made his way behind the shop. She kept her expression neutral as she wondered if he was here to talk. She knew that she had gotten far too carried away with her emotions. She knew better than to allow her emotions to filter through like that. Her reasoning was illogical but she had truly been scared of losing him. How would she have been able to prove herself as a capable Medic? How would she be able to face everyone? Did he not realize that he wasn't invincible? Well, she knew that he understood that but his impulsive nature was uncontrollable. She knew that he was innately like how he was, that was why she had fallen for him in the first place but still she couldn't help feel the way she had.

There was a gentle, hesitant knock on the back door. Inhaling and exhaling a steady breath, she made her way down the stairs. The windowed back door allowing her to see the fidgeting male, a nervous wave was given to her as his eyes danced around their surroundings. Opening the door slightly, a bushel of wildflowers were immediately shoved into her vision. Slowly, she wrapped her fingers around the stems, leaning around the bouquet, giving the male a small smile.

"Flowers? Really?" She teases, opening the door wider, welcoming him inside.

"It was the only thing I could think of," he stated with a gentle laugh. He ducked his head to step inside, looking around at the building that he knew all too well. A smile of relief came to his face, he wasn't sure how she would react to seeing him after two weeks.

She led him upstairs to her apartment, heading into the kitchen. She rummaged through her drawers, finding a pair of pruning scissors after a while. She carefully laid the flowers on the countertops, her slender fingers picking up the stems and began trimming the flowers. The blonde male came to stand beside her, after finding one of many vases that she had in the cabinets. He filled it with water and took each delicate stem that she prepared, and arranged them in the vase.

"Where did you find these? They're beautiful," she commented gently, slightly surprised that he found such quality flora outside of her shop.

"Just outside the Village," he replied with a small smile at her compliment. "There's a little field where they grow, I'll take you there sometime."

Ino hummed in response, enjoying that proposal as they were falling into a comfortable silence. Her hand flinched when his fingers brushed across her knuckles as she placed down a flower. The faint touch caused a shiver to crawl up her arm and travel down her spine. She recoiled from the touch as naturally as possible, going back to finish trimming the last few flowers. Once they were done, she stared at the arrangement as small smile coming to her lips. He was a quick learner when it came to botany and flower arrangement, she was impressed. However, her thoughts shifted as they continued to stand there. She had the words she wanted to tell him at the tip of her tongue. She had been so carefully planning on how to execute them but her nerves were getting the best of her.

"I'm sorry!"

The fact that they had shouted it at one another simultaneously caused a loud silence to come between them. She stared up at him with wide eyes, his expression matching hers. Soon, the corners of his lips twitched upwards, a low laugh rumbling from the depths of his chest and stomach. It soon began to fill her kitchen and she too, found herself joining in with his laughter. She rested a hand on her chest as she continued to laugh, realizing how ridiculous they had been about this situation.

What had surprised were the arms that pulled her into his chest. The ones that secured her in a protective cage. Her laughter had abruptly stopped and she glanced up at him, questions swimming in her eyes. He rested his chin on top of her head, a smug grin on his lips.

"I didn't mean to make you upset, Ino," he said gently. "I just couldn't bare the idea of a friend of mine getting hurt."

There it was, like the final nail in the coffin. A small nod came from her but her smile faltered slightly. A friend. That was all that she would ever amount to in his eyes. Nothing more than that. She had no idea why she thought, that just maybe, after all the time they were spending with one another, he would start viewing her differently. Of course, she hadn't given him any reason to view her in a romantic fashion. He already belonged to someone else. She just had to keep to her own devices. She pulled herself out of the embrace, fearing that she would get too comfortable in his arms. She eyes the man, a faint smile on her lips.

"Just don't let it happen again," she stated, giving him a gentle punch in the chest. "Or else."

He raised his hand up defensively. "I get it, Ino!"

Rolling her eyes, she moved away, taking the vase in her hands and placing it in the center of her dining table. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"As much as I'd like that, I've got a with Hinata soon."

Her shoulders tensed slightly, a reminder that she was getting too aggressive in trying to capture his attention. She was getting comfortable having him around all the time. She immediately turn around, throwing a glare at him. "Well leave, you idiot! You better not be making her wait by coming here!"

"Fine, fine!" He walked over to her, ruffling her hair gently. "I'll catch you later, Ino!"

"Don't ruin my hair," she hissed out, rushing to fix her, now, messy locks. She watched as he rushed down the stairs. The door slammed behind him and she let her hand drop from her head. "Idiot," she muttered as she glanced down at the floor, her cheeks and tips of her ears turning a deep shade of red.

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Chasing Pavements by Adele**

 **Naruto is an idiot. I feel bad for Ino,** **not really** **. Why am I writing this story this way? I mean, I'm not really thinking about what I'm actually writing, it's just sort of coming out like this. Anyways, I'm not trying to rush their relationship. Also, I know I'm not really focusing on the Shinobi aspects of their lives, closer to the lives they have when they're not on missions. Whenever I write stories involving missions, they tend to get dark and serious, I want a happy casual vibe for this story, I hope that that's alright with you guys! Not really sure where I'm going with it all but thank you for reading. I hope you all enjoyed the third installation of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Feedback is appreciated and thanks again for reading! - Tinyraver**


	4. Shiver

_**AN: Happy Fourth of July! So the pacing may be off in this story, simply because I don't want this to be a super long story, but I also don't want it to be too short. Anyways, I don't know how long this will be, so thank you in advance for embarking on this journey with me. However, knowing myself and the way I write, there will be tons of details and explanations, even if I don't dedicate a certain chapter to development. Also, let's talk about Naruto real quick. I perceive him a bit differently than the manga version, perhaps a bit...smarter? I'm not sure how to explain him, so I'll let this chapter do the talking. Also, I still haven't watched the Last Naruto Movie, so things of course, will be different when it comes to Naruto and Hinata. Happy reading~**_

 _ **Also, did anyone read Naruto Gaiden? I will say this now, I will not take away from the canon pairings at the end of Naruto ( I'm happy the shippers got their wish even if I disagree with most of them) but literally Gaiden was a waste of time for me. It was absolute...uggh. I don't want to rant, but my feelings for reading it are overwhelming. Plot holes. Lack of character development. Just….ugh everything. *gets off soap-box***_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Violence, Language and Sexual Themes.**_

* * *

 **004 Shiver**

* * *

He wasn't sure why but he found himself restless as of late. He knew that he wasn't the brightest of Shinobi and despite the favored nickname given to him by the Uchiha, he knew he wasn't dead last. Aside from popular belief, he noticed the subtle changes that happened around him. He had always noticed and felt the stares that he had been given, even though the emotions behind those gazes had changed over the course of a few years. He had always known that people didn't necessarily want to be around him. He could sense the fear and hatred that was within them. He knew and yet he knew that he could change their minds about him. He knew that he could do it and the only way to do so was to become Hokage. He decided at an early age that in order to gain everyone's love and respect, he had to do something huge. Something that could take a lifetime to achieve. Those days of hopeful thinking weren't for nothing.

He had helped save the world.

Now he was certain that wasn't what he had had in mind to make everyone change their minds about him. It was just that he had been the one to take the call, not that he liked to think about it in that manner. In reality, he only saw it as a journey to retrieve the lost Uchiha, engulfed and shrouded by hatred and darkness. It wasn't like he had made this grand scheme to save the world while doing so. Life was unexpected and that just happened to be one of the paths that he had chosen. That path had lead him straight to the man that he had been chasing after since his days as a Genin.

Many would say that he was too humble, unable to fully accept the title as Hero. However, he saw it differently. He was simply one of many that had helped to save the world. All the Shinobi that had been part of the World War, were Heroes in his mind. They had willingly fought alongside one another in order to protect what they felt was important. They had cast aside all former misconceptions of one another and became one. That was what he saw as a heroic act. He simply could not accept that he was the only Hero, especially after all the lives that had been taken from them.

He could only thank the wonderful friends and family that had graced him. He had people who he could trust without doubts filling his wary mind. He had people that he would easily put his life on the line for and vice versa. He had surrogate parent figures that taught him valuable lessons throughout his life. He had been able to met his deceased mother and father, as they lived on inside of him. He was able to fight alongside his father, sharing a feeling that he had always longed for. He had a home, a place that love him and he in return. A place that he finally felt like he belonged. A place that loved and respected him.

He was a happy man.

Despite the happiness and joy that had come into his life, currently, he was confused. A nagging feeling was in the back of his head. His stomach continued to roll and flop throughout the days. His body was clear and open, but his mind was, more often than not, in a faraway place, making it increasingly difficult to focus on what was happening around him. Everyday, he woke up energized and ready for what was to come. However, by the end of the day, he would collapse onto his bed, wondering why it felt like he had been the lucky receiver of Sakura's punch. He was wondering why it felt like he was continuously missing something. He was not the brightest but he was far from dull.

He had asked Granny Tsunade to give him a small physical, making sure that he wasn't suffering from long term effects from the War. When she had given him the ' _All Clear'_ he immediately poked and prodded Kurama about what was making him feel off. The Fox huffed in annoyance, though there was a grin on his snout. Kurama told him that there was nothing physically wrong. His Chakra balance was as normal as it could be, while being his Host. The vague answer that had been given to him was slightly frustrating and when he tried to get more out of the Fox, he was ignored, the Kyuubi falling back into a light slumber, smirk and all.

Something was off and he couldn't figure out what it was.

The heat was unforgiving today. The thick rays of sunshine broke through the trees, casting shadows through the foliage. A few certain areas opened up, allowing the sweltering heat to expand across the ground. There would be a much needed storm, that much he knew. The summer's heat was still lingering in the Land of Fire. Autumn would be here at the end of the month but this summer had been relentless, a few scattered showers here and there but it wasn't enough to moisturize the brittle and cracked Training Grounds. Ah yes, the next storm would probably be closer to a Typhoon, he noted at the sudden change of wind.

With a heavy grunt, he rolled over onto his back, gasping for oxygen in this humid air. The back of his hand wiping of the thick layer of sweat that coated his forehead. His muscles tensed slightly beneath his tanned skin, his body protesting at being thrown hazardously against the dry ground. Training was one way that he let out his pent up energy and frustrations. He dedicated three to four days out of the week to training not only his body but his mind. It was hard to break such a habit as he spent three long years with the Pervy Sage that saw nothing but endless amounts of sculpting of the mind and body. Despite the occasional trip to the bath house or brothel, Jiraiya had been very adamant about his training regimen. Not only had it kept the blonde occupied but it had also taught him many things about himself.

His tongue slid out from his mouth, wetting his dry lips as he grazed up at the vast azure expanse that was the sky. Not a single cloud was out to help lessen the sun's burning gaze. He chuckled to himself, reaching out to grab one of the many canteens that he had brought with him. The cool rush of water down his throat caused a slight shiver to roll throughout his body, as he could feel the cold liquid rush down his esophagus and into his stomach. Sitting up, he poured the water over his head and down his back, shaking off the excess amount. A frown touched his lips. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate on training, it only worked for a few moments.

That feeling always came back to him.

Chewing on the pad of his thumb, his brows furrowed in frustration as he tried to reach into the furthest parts of his mind. Meditation seemed like a good option but he always ended up becoming irritated as nothing seemed to pop out at him. His senses flared up as he felt something approaching from behind and at a rapid pace. He immediately rolled out of the way as a body landed on all fours in the spot where he had been. Their nails and heels dug into the ground to stop themselves from sliding any further. He felt his mouth run dry at the sight.

The female body was nothing new to the Uzumaki. After all, his three year training session with Jiraiya had shown him the wonders that the opposite gender had in their possession. He knew the difference between a civilian and Kunoichi's body. He knew the gentle curves and the soft flesh that women had in their arsenal, some who used it to their advantage, especially against his weak hearted Sage. He knew of the smooth and subtle muscles that hid beneath a Kunoichi's flesh, coiling and tensing when they were prepared to attack. He knew the difference in tone of voice that they used in order to obtain what they wanted. He knew the sensual purr that came between lush lips when climax was close. He knew of how skilled a woman's hands could be. He knew how addictive how their body could be. He knew all of these things, yet he felt like he was gazing up the body of a woman for the first time.

Skin gently kissed by the sun glimmered and glistened in the sun's harsh light, a thin layer of sweat covering her flexible limbs. Each muscle was tensing and flexing from exertion as she held herself steady. Harsh breathing could be heard, causing her chest to rise and fall dramatically, a motion that catch his eyes for more than an acceptable amount of time. Slender arms were firmly holding onto the ground and he could feel a slow and steady pulse of her Chakra reaching out into the ground or maybe that was the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears. Her long, what seemed like endless, legs were stable and taut holding her in a feline like crounch, her posterior settling is a slight turn into the air. Her entire body was like an extension of a graceful, yet deadly, animal. He caught the slight shudder of her muscles ripple beneath her as she jumped out of the way of an incoming fist. The ground trembled and shook as her opponent glanced over his way, emeralds sparkling with determination. During that moment of distraction, her opponent was caught off guard, a leg connecting with her midsection, causing her to shoot back into the direction that she had come from.

The leg settled on the ground, a hand placed upon her wide hips, her exposed stomach flexed slightly. She wiped off the smudge dirt and blood that was at the corner of her lip before her oceanic hues landed on him. If he wasn't at a loss for words prior then surely he wouldn't find any now. There was a slow curl to the corner of her lips that reminded him of a grin that Kurama would give him. She was dangerous, that was what he could conclude from this encounter. The way she held herself was incomparable to the other women he had been around. She had discarded her normal Shinobi attire, just like her opponent. Only in the garments that they wore beneath them. A mesh tube top covering her chest and a pair of black shorts, he had always wondered if she had a weird tanline due to her oddly shaped top. He supposed that was one mystery solved. A dainty hand reached to toss her hair over her shoulder, the flaxen locks looking like gold spun strands in the sun light.

"Sorry for interrupting your training, Naruto," she said in a low tone, probably due to the increasing exhaustion from sparring with her pink haired rival, but Gods did it sound like a sensual purr. With a curt nod, she dashed off into the direction she had come from, leaving behind the speechless Uzumaki behind.

What the hell had just happened?

* * *

There were a lot of things that he had to focus on as of late. Of course, he was not suited to be Hokage as of yet or so, that was what he had told Granny Tsunade, much to her shock. He knew that he was far too wet behind the ears to start commanding a Village. He knew that that responsibility would be far too much for him to handle at such a young age. He had all the faith in his former Genin Teacher to command the Village until his time was ready. Besides, he wanted to enjoy the life that he had right now. After the World War had ended, he was finally able to settle down for a while, unlike being thrown back and forth in a chaotic life. He finally had time to breathe and think about all that had happened and that would happen. He needed to figure out a few things before he took on the task of being Hokage, despite his desires to see his face on the Hokage Mountain.

Prior to the War and all the way until the very end, he had been chasing after the man that he could see as a brother. A lifetime friend. It had been a gruesome journey to get to the point that they were at now but the blonde knew things would fall into place. He knew that the Uchiha had many unresolved feelings that needed time to work out. He knew that Sasuke was still unsure of himself. That was why he wanted to dedicate this time to help his friend on the right path this time around. When they were younger, they were rivals. A love-hate relationship had blossomed between them and as hard as Naruto tried to keep Sasuke on the path of happiness and light, Sasuke defected. The more he thought about it, Naruto knew that it was likely the best option for the Uchiha to take at the time. Here, within the Village, Sasuke would have never discovered the truth about the Uchiha Massacre. He would have never known of Itachi's sacrifice. He would have never understood what it meant to be Shinobi.

As much as the people in the Village thought of him as traitorous, Naruto knew that his time away from the Village had certainly benefitted Sasuke. The blonde knew that if he didn't continue to support and uplift the Uchiha then he would follow the similar path as Madara had. He didn't want that to happen, so he was sure to keep an eye of his friend. Not like it was difficult, most of his time was spent with the Uchiha, helping him readjust to life in the Village. Helping him reconnect with those that he had disregarded and cast away in the past. Pushing him to repent for the damage that he had caused in his naivety and self destruction. That was all that he could do for Sasuke, he could only guide him along, hoping that he had truly changed. Sure, he put all his faith into believing that the Uchiha had changed, he had seen his heart, what he truly wanted.

However, Naruto was not a complete idealist. He had to be wary from time to time when a faraway look came to Sasuke's eyes. He had to be cautious when memories of the past caused the raven haired male to still, fingers curling into a tight fist. Only time could heal old wounds. Only a strong will and determination could change a person. He believed that Sasuke would overcome his past, one of these days and Naruto would be by his side every step of the way.

Stepping away from his male teammate, he thought of the girl now woman, who had had his heart for all these years. Was it really his heart that she had? Was he ever truly in love with her? He was sure that the younger version of him did truly love her (he could hear his younger self yelling at him) but maybe he loved the idea of her. Sakura had many perks about her. She was everything that he wasn't at a young age. She was loyal and intelligent. Her Chakra Control was so precise and smooth that he had been surprised during their first training exercise. She was a kind and compassionate woman. However, she had a downfall. Her eyes only saw Sasuke. The Uchiha was all she could ever speak about, think about. Not matter how hard he tried to gain her approval, she only has the red and white crest in her eyes. Still, as a naive boy, he pursued her until the end of the War.

When she had said that she loved him in the Land of Iron, a small part of his heart had fluttered and skipped but he knew that that love was different than the one she had for the Uchiha. He knew that she was lying and as much as he wanted to loathe her for giving him false hope, he couldn't find it within himself. His trust in her had faltered slightly. He caught himself wondering how far was she willing to go for the Uchiha. He knew that he could only be loved like a sibling. He knew that he could never compare to the love that she had created for only Sasuke. He spent many hours laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering what was so great about the Uchiha. He had done nothing for the pink haired girl. He hardly acknowledged her when they were Genin. He ignored her cries and pleas without feeling any source of remorse. Or maybe he was wrong? He was looking at this out of spite and jealousy. Sasuke had protected her in the Forest of Death, unlocking his Cursed Seal in order to protect her.

He had knocked her unconscious to protect her from chasing after him when he chose to leave the Village, to keep her out of harm's way. He had never intentionally harmed her, well aside from the time that he nearly killed her and she had tried to kill him. Naruto was sure that there was a specific reason why that fight had happened but he wasn't sure if it had to do with love or the resolve to end Sasuke's destructive path of self decay. During the World War, they all had fought alongside one another, as a Team should. They were all in perfect harmony. They were all one. During the their final face off, he had placed Sakura in a Genjutsu, to keep her from doing anything reckless. He even went as far as to apologize for all that he had ever done to her and she happily forgave him. So he supposed that Sasuke still had contributed somehow. He shrugged not truly understanding a woman's love for a man.

A woman's love, huh? He mulled over the thought thinking of the Hyuuga Heiress. Due to the chaos that had come after the battle with Pein, he had had little time to actual figure out how he felt. The Byakugan User had professed her love to him mid-battle, which was not something that he had expected from her. He knew that if he had noticed her sooner then things would have been different. Instead, he spent all his time following after Sakura, idolizing everything that she did. He should have known that she had feelings for him, by the way that her speech impediment increased when he was near. Or how her face would turn as red as a tomato and occasionally, she would faint around him. He had always thought it strange but after a few conversations with Jiraiya, he understood. Gods, how could he have been such an ignorant fool? How could she be in love with someone like him?

A small smile touched his lips as he remembered the words that had been so confidently said on that battlefield. He had to admit, it truly did touch his heart. While they were young, she had never once scorned him. She had accepted him for who he was, despite not knowing that he was the holding Kurama within him. She gave him unconditional love. He, in turn, had given her strength or so that was what she had told him. She truly was a woman that he could see himself with years down the road, she was everything that Sakura wasn't and that was what made her a suitable partner. Hell, even Kurama liked her enough.

However, try as he might, he couldn't reciprocate those feelings for the Hyuuga. He had gone on several dates with the quiet woman and he had to admit, he had a great time with her but he was unable to bring forth those same feelings. He often asked himself, what was wrong. Why couldn't he happily fall head over heels with her? He was trying to figure out for quite sometime. He didn't expect love to hit him full force, make him dizzy and out of sorts. He supposed that it would take a longer about of time to fall in love. That was why he had given up on Sakura long ago, because she had years and years of love for the Uchiha built up. Hinata, too, had years and years of endless love for him but he simply couldn't hold a match to what she had for him. He didn't want to love her in a half-assed manner, she deserved so much more. That was why he was trying to give it is all, in falling in love with her, but it was too forced. It felt unnatural. It didn't feel right.

It had been almost two years since the War had ended and yet he still couldn't produce any results for the awaiting Hyuuga. He felt wrong. He felt like he was leading the Byakugan User along, like some love sick puppy. That wasn't what he wanted. He wanted her to find happiness and love, but maybe that person wasn't him. Perhaps, she loved the idea of him. They barely knew one another and had only recently began to learn more about one another. She had admitted to watching him constantly as a young girl but she was still surprised to find out things that she had missed while idolizing him. He had learned many things about her as well and there was a small connection between the two of them, but he wasn't sure if they could move any further. He knew that he would have to talk to her soon. When the topic of his current relationship had been brought up, he felt uncomfortable. He had tried his best to reply to all of the demanding questions given to him by his female teammate but he was uncomfortable. He didn't enjoy talking about a relationship that was going nowhere. It didn't feel right.

What had felt right?

Well, during their night out, the feeling of a warm body near him had felt right. Her warmth was addictive and alluring when she was around those she cared about. The way she smiled at the conversations was mesmerizing, surely she knew that. She smelled like fresh soil and an array of flowers (lilies were the strongest scent that had come from her). What had felt natural was resting an arm behind her while they enjoyed their time with their closest friends, leaning a little closer to her subconsciously. What had felt nice was the way her Chakra mingled with his, curiously and gently, as she connected their minds in a telepathic link. What had caused his heart to skip was when she leaned across him, her hair tickling his chin faintly and her body sliding across his, causing a small blush to appear on his cheeks. The way she looked up at him to apologize caused a knot to form in his throat. His lungs felt like they would burst, so he drank in order to keep himself calm. She made him feel like he was a wobbling toddler, unable to stand up on his own two legs.

Being around her had felt just and wholesome. She captured the attention of all those around them, her beauty was that of a goddess and she should be easily partnered with one who matched (ie. Uchiha Sasuke). But she stated that she had no interest in anyone and he could only wondered if it was because she hadn't found anyone to match her standards. Who would be far greater suited for her than the Uchiha, he wondered. He didn't wish to believe that she was shallow, for if she was then he was as well. He knew a lot about the Yamanaka, knowledge and information that he had gained over the years. She cared about making connections with other people, as emotions heavily influenced and swayed her decisions. That would make the Uchiha an unlikely candidate, as he chose to keep everything to himself for the majority of time. Ever since the question had been asked, he wondered who could possibly capture the Mind Walker's interest.

They had become friends not too long before he had left on his journey. He had always liked being around her bright and intuitive personality, she had apologized for the way she had treated him. He, later on in the course of time, apologized for being the reason for her father's early departure from this world, which she vehemently denied through her tears. She was similar to both the women that he had had interest in. She was strong willed and determined while having a short temper just like her best friend. She was also compassionate and caring, placing everyone before her. She was ideal but also far from his clutches. Despite becoming closer to her, he felt that she was in a league of her own. The way she carried herself so confidently, the world was her oyster and she would see to have anything she wanted and would devour it whole.

Who was he to even think about her in such a manner? Never in a million years would he have thought of her in such a light. Perhaps it had something to do with the alcohol he had drank that night that caused him to view her in such a manner. Perhaps it had something to do with the way she looked today, those eyes primal and sensual. Perhaps it had something to do with his testosterone racing through his veins that began to see her more than simply a friend but as a woman. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he ruffled his messy locks, disregarding the cool gaze of his companion for the rest of the day.

One thing was for certain, he was not lusting after his close friend, Yamanaka Ino.

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Shiver by Maroon 5**

 **Ah hmm, how do I explain this chapter? I didn't want this to be perverted or creepy, it was more about Naruto appreciating the body that belonged to Ino (How could he not?! Ayyyeee!). More so, it was more like and eye opening experience for him, like finally seeing her as a woman. It can be played off as lust, seeing how they are all in their prime to be all, curious about one another's bodies. I wanted this to be more about Naruto's thoughts and stuff. Also, I know the pace of this story is a bit wonky but I'm liking it compared to my other stories. I usually do very slow paced and serious stories, so this is like a bit of fresh air. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the fourth installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Thanks for reading and feedback is appreciated! - Tinyraver**


	5. Volcano

_**AN: I had a panic attack, thinking that I hadn't updated in forever but it was all a lie. Thank you for all the love and reviews, I appreciate them, they mean the world to me. Now, we should start progressing a little faster with their relationship. Not too fast though, that wouldn't be fun. I lied in a sense, there will be a little bit of drama. More of Naruto's thoughts and what not ahead. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Happy reading~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Violence, Language and Sexual Themes.**_

* * *

 **005 Volcano**

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As the days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months, he knew that was wrong. There was no excuse for what he was doing. He was a pig. He was trash. But, he didn't know what else to do. As stated before, he wasn't the smartest of men and it was beginning to show. That being said, the guilt was beginning to eat away at him.

For almost two years, he had been casually dating the Hyuuga Heiress. For almost two years, he had been forcing himself to fall in love with her. Hell, he had even imagined taking her to his bed, making love with her until they were spent after indulging and exploring one another's bodies. The furthest they had gone was an intense session of lips meeting and tongues clashing, exploring hands but it stopped before clothes began to disappear. The kisses shared between them were enjoyable but those kisses lacked the fire behind them to make him willing to advance even further with the Hyuuga. There was no burning claws of lust pulling at him. There was no heat that rushed and coursed throughout his body when they touched and kissed. Surely, the Byakugan User had noticed his hesitance. Well, hesitance was probably the wrong word. His unwillingness to progress any more.

Gods, he felt like an asshole. Scratch that, he was an asshole. He knew that she should have ended this a long time ago, but there was a sense of obligation within him. He felt that he should put time and effort to making things work because he never did anything half-assed. After all, she had risked her life for him. She had confessed her love for him. Wouldn't it be wrong of him to ignore her words and affection? Wouldn't it be wrong of him not to try?

No, what was wrong, was the fact that he had continued to be in the courting stage with her for so long. It was obvious, to probably both parties, that they were simply supposed to be friends. The male just wasn't sure how to end it. He didn't want to hurt her but he knew he was hurting her by stringing her along like this. Another sigh left him and he flinched when he heard an annoyed huff of air come from across the building.

"I swear, if you don't stop, I'll kick you out of here," threatened the Yamanaka.

The Mind Walker was currently watering a few hanging pots, while standing on a ladder. Her hair was pulled into a messy knot on top of her head, a few strands falling around in wisps of gold and white, thanks to the glittering sun rays. She wore her typical orange shirt and black shirt when gardening, her apron secured around her waist, stuffed with gardening tools. She pulled the hose out of the pots and climbed down the rungs of the ladder she was perched on. Turning off the hose, she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him.

"It's obvious something is bothering you, so spit it out. Your mood is affecting the plants too."

He knew that her temper only became like this when she was concerned. It was a roundabout way of showing that she cared. He smiled faintly, nodding his head, knowing that he was dampening the mood. She moved closer to him, a hand resting on his arm, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Naruto," she said gently. "You know you can tell me anything."

There it was again. There was that infamous spell that she put on him, causing him to be mesmerized by her. Had she always been like this towards him? Well, they do spend the majority of their time with one another or simply around one another. They had been opening up to one another, revealing secrets that they feared other people would judge them on. There was this connection between them, beating like a pulse.

"Say, Ino," he breathed out.

She tilted her head slightly and raised an eyebrow to indicate that she was listening and waiting.

"What's it like to be in love?"

For a fraction of a second, her mask cracked. A surprised look coming to her face as a light rose hue dusted her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Clearing her throat, she looked away from him unable to calm her frantically beating heart. Was this a subtle way of him telling her that he held some sort of feeling towards her? No! He was dating the Hyuuga, he was just seeking out advice because she was his close friend. That was all. Nothing more than that.

She shrugged her shoulders, turning away from him as her fingers reached out to faintly trace over the silken petals of her flowers. "I don't think I have an absolute answer for that, Naruto," she started off gently. "Love…" She paused, biting her lower lip in thought. She tilted her head slightly as a smile came to her face. "Love can be wonderful. It can take your breath away suddenly, leaving you gasping for air. It can feel like you're falling into an unknown abyss. Love can happen immediately or it can take time, regardless, love is never when you expect it to happen. Love can be patient or anxious. It can make you laugh and cry, all at once and you'll have no logic or reason to explain why. Love can be happy, if you allow it."

She let go of the petal, a heavy sigh leaving her as her eyes narrowed slightly. She lifted her gaze up to peer through the foliage and up through the glass ceiling. "Love can be painful. It can eat away at your heart and soul, leaving you to become a hollow shell. It can make you wait, in a world of limbo, waiting for that one person, even if they aren't attainable. Love can be your enemy, making you sacrifice your own happiness." She looked away from her upwards gaze, a frown tugging her lips and brows furrowing, her own words causing her to shudder faintly.

The Yamanaka wrapped her arms around herself, swaying her body slightly as she continued to ponder the male's question. "But more than anything, being in love is exhilarating. It can make you feel things that you never thought possible." She turned to look at him, her gaze softening as she looked at his face. "When you're in love, you will do silly, sometimes reckless, things for that someone. You always want to be near them. You're thoughts are consumed of them. You start to feel for them, you cry for them, you fear for them, and so on. You dedicate yourself to their happiness and life." She exhaled heavily, realizing that she was becoming overly excited. "And the world becomes so much more vibrant around you, you'll see colors that you thought never existed. And it's all because that someone brought it to life for you."

She looked away from him and nodded her head. "I think that's the best answer I can give you. Love is different for everyone. It's unpredictable."

He stood there watching when she spoke about Love. The way her eyes shimmered from the color of the sky to a deep turquoise. The apples of her cheeks were round from her smile and gently dusted with a soft blush. The wisps of her hair dangled around her face, brushing against her shoulders. She would idly fiddle with the ends with delicate fingers. Her bottom lip would get sucked in between her lips when she paused to think about her response. It seemed so natural for her to speak to him about Love and it hit him, full force, knocking the air from his lungs. He was confused as to why his reaction to her was like this.

She was in love. He could see it clearly on her face, as her guard had slowly melted away. The way it danced and twirled in her eyes. How did he not notice before? Maybe because she had stated with certainty that she wasn't interested in anyone. She was in love and he didn't know with who. A foreign feeling tugged at the back of his mind, a small frown touching his lips.

The sprinkler system chose to set off at that time, causing him to lose track of his thoughts. Ino let out a surprised yelp, saying that this certainly had killed the serious mood. She raised her palms up, capturing the thick drops in her hand before a gentle laugh came from her, filling the air with a mixture of her delicate sound and the falling water. He inhaled and exhaled deeply as he watched her before him. Her eyes were closed as she continued to laugh, her nose crinkling slightly (he would later tell her that he could see why Sakura called her Ino-Pig). It was truly one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen with the Mind Walker involved.

He felt a burn touch his cheeks when she opened her eyes. There was this content look on her face as her laughter died down, her words sounded muddled in his ears as he was captured by her. The affectionate warmth that was held in her eyes caused his heart to flutter rapidly. Her face clung to her face and she would casually wipe away the wet strands. For some reason, he felt like he was at a loss for words. He could see her speaking to him but he couldn't hear. He couldn't think. He watched the way the sun traced her skin, causing it to glow while the shadows contrasted against the bright light. What compelled him to move forward, he'll never understand (at least not right now).

She eyed him with mild caution, she had yet to elicit a response from him. He had simply been staring at her and she wondered if he had put some pieces together in his head. She wondered if she had been too obvious on how she described everything. She couldn't recognize the expression he held, it was uncharacteristic of the Uzumaki. He continued to move closer to her and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. Should she move away? Should she snap him out whatever trance he was in? She glanced away from him, staring down at the feet that refused to budge from their spot. She bit her lower lip as his feet came into her view, stopping just in front of her. Her eyes slowly trailed up his body, taking all of his features. From his broad chest that expanded from steady breaths to deep cerulean hues that stood out against his tan complexion. She took it all in, noting every detail about him. She studied the whisker like birthmarks on his cheeks, giving him that 'foxy' look (so she liked to call it). She could see faint pale lines of old and healed cuts that dotted his face and other areas of exposed skin. She gazed in awe at how the water clung to his hair. How it dripped from his chin, rolling down his neck and into the collar of his shirt.

She didn't budge or flinch when his warm palm cupped the side of her face. She raised a brow slowly, wondering what was going on in that head of his. His thumb brushed away a droplet of water near the corner of her mouth, the rough pad of his thumb touching the supple flesh. Immediately, her tongue darted out, wetting her lips and his eyes following the movement of that pink muscle. Swallowing thickly, she cleared her throat.

"Naruto," she breathed out, secretly praying that he would kiss her because she wasn't sure if she could wait any longer. Another part of her wished that he wouldn't because she was already so deeply in love with him that she didn't want to (she was fearful) plummet any further than where she was. A hitch in her breathing filled the air as his other hand slid up her spine, cradling the back of her neck. Her hands clutched the front of his shirt, fighting between pulling him closer and pushing him away. He leaned down close enough for his breath to fan out across her lips. She was nearly at her limit, she was shaking. She knew that her knees would give way any moment now. She swore if he kissed her, it would all be over for her.

It felt like a crack of lightning shot down her spine, as a Chakra Signal set off. She immediately shoved the blonde male away from her, gasping for air. She wiped off the water from her face as she quickly made her way out of the Greenhouse to meet her visitor. She wasn't sure if she would thank them or kill them, she'd decide when she saw who it was. She couldn't muster the courage to look back behind her, feeling that heated gaze follow her. She didn't want to reject him in that manner but it had all happened suddenly. He clearly wasn't thinking properly! She shook her head trying to will away the redness on her face. Rounding the corner to the front of the shop, she met with a familiar face.

"Oh, Shikamaru, is it that time already? I lost track of time!" She exclaimed with a meek smile, hoping that Naruto would stay behind.

His dark eyes regarded her in a silent manner, she knew that he was trying to figure out her flustered appearance. "Troublesome," he muttered under his breath. "Everyone else is waiting for you, so you better hurry up."

"R-Right, I'll meet up with you guys in a bit," she said, waving a hand at herself. "I'm a mess right now, so just go ahead and order without me."

The Nara rolled his eyes and turned to walk away. She waved at him before running back to around the house, she reached out her Chakra, only to find the Uzumaki's residual Signature. A hand flew to her chest and she fell back against the side of her house. She knew that she should have told him off or something along those lines. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, recounting at how close their lips had been to touch. She ran a hand over her face, she would have to tell him it wouldn't work. That he was wrong for betraying the trust of Hinata. Gods, she felt vile on the inside. She had wanted it too much that she blindly cast aside the Hyuuga Heiress's feelings. What kind of friend was she? What kind of person? Calmly down her weak heart, she headed back inside of her home to get ready, she had a group date to attend and she didn't need to be distracted, especially not around her calculative teammate.

* * *

"Naruto...Are you alright?"

Azure eyes blinked and glanced over at the pale eyed woman walking beside him. Ah, that was the third time tonight that she had caught him in a daze. She tucked a few pieces of hair behind her ear as he reassured her that he was, in fact, alright. However, the Hyuuga knew better than to believe his words. If anything, the Uzumaki male was honest with his feelings, even if he never spoke about it immediately. Being around him for nearly two years, she had picked up of small quirks that he did. Like when he was upset, he would would become restless, needing to go blow off steam at the Training Grounds. When something was on his mind, his brows would pinch together in thought and he would fall silent. He was not perfect but she nonetheless adored him. However, for nearly two years they had been stuck in this limbo of sorts. Neither one of them had made the effort to call what they had between them a relationship. Their commitment to one another was barely there. She often wondered if she had done something wrong.

He had approached her a few weeks after the World War had ended, hesitant and shy. He had told her that he couldn't possibly convey the same amount emotion towards her that she had done during the fight with Pein, but he was willing to try. It was the first time that she had seen Naruto in such a mature manner, the War had definitely changed him, for better or worse, she'd like to think it was the former not the latter. Ever so slowly, he eased his way into her life, asking questions about her life, her childhood and so on. She had to admit, it was strange when they had finally started to be around one another more. She had never thought that he would actually chose to pursue her in a romantic fashion. That hope and love that she had clung to so desperately throughout her childhood was finally being brought to life. She had been ecstatic.

Every date with the blonde male was fun, entertaining. There was never a dull moment with him, even if they simply went on a walk (much like what they were doing now). She enjoyed the Uzumaki, flaws and all. However, it didn't take her too long to notice that, things were off with him. He was uncertain when it came to personal displays of affection. He only held her hand when they were alone, she had never pegged him to be secretive in a relationship. He only kissed her after six months of seeing one another. She had figured it was because he wanted to take things easy, to make sure that there was something blossoming between them. She appreciated his patience, however, she found herself growing in impatience.

She had built the courage to bring them back to his apartment, initiating intimacy between them. She was sure that he would understand her intentions and feelings during this point. She took it as embarrassment when his eyes glanced away from hers when she straddled his lap. She took it as restraint when he gripped her shoulders, pulling away from their locked lips. She took it as a show of respect for her when he muttered a heavy apology to her. She took it all as this because she saw him as her ideal partner. She had pined for him for so long, she had put all her faith and adoration into him. He was simply being respectful towards her. How wrong she had been.

After that moment, he had made sure never to return back to his cluttered apartment. After that moment, he made sure that they were in the public eye more often than not. It stung, that sudden realization, but she had to accept his feelings, like he had accepted hers. This was both, their first relationship with another person, there were bound to be roadblocks and hurdles to conquer. She understood this much but as the months continued on, she couldn't feel but feel this resentment towards his chivalrous act eat away at her. She was finally understanding that they would be nothing more than what they were now. She wished that it would end but she also felt her ideals of him making her cling to him.

She was pathetic in that sense. She knew that she loved him, maybe loved the idea of him more, but she knew that those feelings had yet to lessen. She had wanted to bring up this conversation for a while now but he was practically distant with her nowadays. She hardly saw him anymore, disappearing every time the middle weekday came around, then he would throw himself in the throes of dedication when it came to training. She too had little time to see him, her ascension to becoming the Clad Head was nearing. Maybe she was just trying to hold off the inevitable, clinging onto her childhood crush. It stung to think about things not working with him but she couldn't hate him because of it.

All she could have hoped for was that he had least acknowledged her feelings for him and he had done more, that extra mile that made the blonde male lovable. He had put all his effort into wooing and courting her, while lacking those same feelings. He took the time to further know her better, to understand her. He had been there in her moments of weakness and strength. He had come to aide her while she lay ill in bed (despite Hanabi and the other Hyuuga family members taking care of her). He had tried all of this, in order to show that he truly appreciated the love that she had always had for him. But she could see it, he was captured by something else. She dared not think someone else because that was too soon for her heart to handle. She bit the inside of her cheek, feeling her emotions starting to well up in the depths of her chest.

She knew what had to be done.

They rounded a corner, on one of the many streets of their Village, taking in the ethereal illumination that was given off by the buildings' and restaurants' lanterns. They continued to walk in an awkward silence between them, as most of their walks ended up like this. It was obvious to those around them that there was an impending conversation looming over their heads, weighing down what should be a loving atmosphere. The male rubbed the back of his neck, chewing on his lower lip, trying to figure out what to say. The lilac eyed woman simply stared at the ground, a frown tugging at the corners of her lips. She knew that she needed to grab his attention somehow. Glancing up, she opened her mouth to speak but her voice caught in her throat. His gaze was directed somewhere else, his jaw clenching slightly. Sapphire eyes hardened immediately and she couldn't help but follow the direction of his gaze.

Sitting close to the outside of a restaurant, she caught a glimmer of flaxen colored locks pulled into a high ponytail, cascading like a river down her back. The color purple slowly filled her line of vision before turquoise eyes closed while a laugh floated into her air. She thought nothing out of the ordinary until she viewed who was sitting across from her. He had changed over the years but he still held that ominous air around him. His hair fell over his spiraled eye, only showing his normal dark one. He was covered in his preferred color, black. It didn't seem out of the ordinary but she noted the small smile that was on his lips as he continued to converse with the Yamanaka Heiress. Since when had they become so close?

She glanced back over to her date, only to see that he was making his way through the crowd towards the restaurant. "N-Naruto?" She called out but her voice fell to deaf ears.

Pushing back the entrance flap of the restaurant, he wasn't sure what was happening in his mind at this point. He had seen the two of them and all thoughts had ceased, everything had fallen silent to his ears. Watching the way the two of them interacted had caused his blood to come to a low simmer. To hear her laugh at the Uchiha spiked his temperature to just under boiling. The frown that etched into his features wouldn't fade away, he couldn't look away from the two of them. The only thing that popped into his head was why? Why were they together? Didn't Sasuke want to be with Sakura? Didn't Ino say that she wasn't in love with the Uchiha anymore?

Love.

The image of her face previously that day flashed into his mind. Had she been lying to him this entire time? Was she using this as some ploy to take Sasuke away from Sakura? He knew that it was wrong to think of the Mind Walker like this but the questions wouldn't stop coming forth in his mind. Why was she in love with him? There were better people out there than the Uchiha. _Like who?_ He paused briefly in his navigation, wondering who was better suited for the Yamanaka than the Uchiha? A small part of him whispered a muffled name, he shook his head in disbelief. There was no way that that was an option. So why was he so hell bent on finding out the truth? Why did it matter so much to him?

"Naruto?"

He snapped out of his thoughts as Ino's voice called out to him in a mixture of surprise and hesitance. His eyes landed on hers and they shared a gaze with one another before she looked away. Was that guilt on her face? He looked over at the impassive expression of the Uchiha, trying to understand the situation. Trying to understand his own motives.

"What do you want, idiot?"

"Sasuke!" The blonde woman hissed out, throwing a glare at him before looking up at her friend. "What's going on, Naruto? Did something happen?"

The way she said the Uchiha's name so familiarly only caused ire to rise within him. He clenched his jaw and balled his hands into fists. How could they do this? How could they so casually be in public with one another. He heard the sound of a chair being scooted across the floor, a hand touching his arm cautiously. Turquoise eyes were looking at him in concern. "Hey, are you alright?" She asked in a gentle tone, one that he was all too familiar with.

"Why are you here with him," he asked but his tone held hostility in it.

She took a step back at the sudden tone, a confused looked coming to her face. She glanced down at the Uchiha, who simply shrugged his shoulders, not knowing what was going on with his friend. "What are you talking about, Naruto? We're just having dinner-"

"So you're on a date with him," he scoffed out, unable to control himself. The words were just formulating like word vomit as he pulled his arm away from her. "And what about Sakura? Does she know that you're doing this behind her back?"

"Where are you getting this from," Ino seethed out venomously. "We're not on a date, like I said, we're eating dinner with one another because we're friends."

"Friends? Are you sure about that, Ino?" Gods, he wanted to stop but this ugly beast within him couldn't. It wouldn't stop. A low growl left him as he saw movement from the corner of his eye caused by the Uchiha. "Soon you'll be falling in love with him all over again. Wait, no, you're still in love with-"

His words were cut off by the sudden strike to his cheek, the pain radiating throughout the side of his face. Had he seen it coming, then maybe he would have dodged but somewhere in his mind told him that he needed this. The force of the impact caused his head to snap in the opposite direction so quickly, that he pulled something in his neck. The restaurant fell silent at the commotion. He slowly turned his wide eyed gaze back to the misty eyes woman, a hand reaching up to cover the red mark that was angrily pulsing. She was breathing evenly, trying to control her temper as she glared at him with watery eyes. "I-Ino, I'm-"

"Leave," she breathed out. She glanced over at the Uchiha, flicking her head towards the Uzumaki. "Take him out of here, I'll foot the bill."

There was a heavy sigh that came from the Uchiha as he stood up, hooking an arm around the blonde male's neck. He tugged at him, dragging him out of the restaurant. The Uzumaki could only watch the hurt and confusion that crossed over the Yamanaka's face as she crumpled back into her seat, burying her face in her hands. He had messed up, fucked up was the more proper tone. He allowed his confusing emotions to get the best of him. He hadn't meant to say the things that he had but he couldn't help it.

Jealousy.

That is what it was. He had felt that green beast sink its teeth into his flesh when he had first spotted them. To see Ino so easily laugh with another man, his best friend nonetheless, had caused something to snap inside of him. Could it be that he was falling for her? For Ino? No, they were just….friends right? He was released of his hold once they were outside of the restaurant. He stumbled forward, rubbing the back of his neck. He was hesitant to look over at the male who had escorted him out of the building. He looked up at his friend, who was frowning at him. They shared a silence between them before the Uchiha shook his head, muttering under his breath as he walked away from the scene that the Uzumaki had caused.

Rubbing his wrapped hand over his face, he turned only to see the Hyuuga Heiress waiting patiently for him. There was no way that he could explain his actions. They had been done without thought, instinctively. He opened his mouth to apologize but the lilac eyes woman shook her head. She inhaled deeply, lifting up determined eyes to meet his. A small faint smile touched her lips and she exhaled slowly.

"Naruto, I believe we need to talk."

 **AN: Chapter Song Title: Volcano by Damien Rice**

 **Alright, so I made Naruto** **kind of** **an asshole this chapter. If you don't agree with this portrayal, I understand. The way I see it and hopefully I wrote it properly, Naruto never gives up on something. Like he won't do something halfheartedly, that's the kind of guy that I perceive him as. He is not perfect, he is human. That's what I wanted. Now, it does hurt that I made Hinata hurt cause she's my baby, but I thought this was the best way to write this chapter. It's like he is subconsciously showing that he is in fact in love with Ino but he can't quite accept it in reality. That's what I wanted from this chapter, a gateway to advance in their relationship. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the fifth installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Feedback is appreciated and thanks for reading! - Tinyraver**


	6. I Couldn't Be Your Friend

_**AN: First off, I'd like to apologize about being late of posting the next chapter and making you all worry. I am currently finishing up my vacation, so I've been spending time with friends and my SO. I lost track of my days and what not. Also, thank you for all the love and the reviews, they make my heart go 'doki doki' xD This isn't the chapter you all have been waiting for, I apologize, I like dragging this sort of thing out a bit. However, we will get a few answers in this chapter. I hope all enjoy it and happy reading~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Violence, Language and Sexual Themes.**_

 _ **Legend: Italics for Flashbacks and Thoughts.**_

* * *

 **006 I Couldn't Be Your Friend**

* * *

The inevitable happened after that night, he wasn't sure if he was surprised or not that the Hyuuga had ended things with him. She had known for a long time that they were not going to progress in their relationship. They both had a part of them that wanted to make things work but unfortunately, the fire between them and faded into glowing embers. He had spent the next hour apologizing to the Hyuuga for the lack of effort he had put into their relationship. He had apologized for leading her to believe that something would happen if they stayed together. He apologized for ruining their final date. He continuously apologized and she she accepted his words. He knew that there was nothing more that he could do for her. He could only support her decisions as she turned and walked away out of the romantic aspect of his life. He watched the tears that silently rolled down her cheeks, his eyes casting towards the ground, knowing that it wouldn't be right for him to console her. It was never his intention to hurt her, she was a sweet and compassionate woman. He had just been stupid, fucking things up with not only one person that night but two.

He sighed heavily as he thought about that night, knowing that the blonde woman had yet to forgive him. Not only had he caused a scene, out of jealousy, but he had embarrassed her in front of numerous people. He knew the Yamanaka did not like to lose her composure in front of people. She hardly broke down her walls around him. She was a vulnerable woman, when the doors were closed. He almost wished she would be vulnerable all the time, because he was selfish. He didn't like being caught off guard by her emotions, when they finally showed. He didn't like seeing the expressions of hurt and sadness form in those oceanic eyes of hers. However, a part of him didn't want her to be vulnerable to others. He felt that he was special, being one of the few to see the real her, not the Kunoichi mask she wore in public.

Not like his thoughts mattered anymore, he had ruined their relationship that night. He continued this cycle of self-loathing as he went on with his days. How could he say such things to her? How could he have caused her that kind of pain? They were friends, closer than most people in the Village. He had opened up to to her at the drop of the hat, without hesitation. That was the kind of person she was, she easily broke people's guards, intentionally or not. Her alluring warmth and compassion was what drew people in. Her quirky habits and short-temper was what made people stay. Her freely showing emotions and comical remarks was what made people fall in love.

His breathing hitched and his head felt dizzy. Falling in love with Ino? Sure, he had pondered the thought quite frequently. They had been friends for a long time, they had shared things between one another and they had bonded with each other. It was a logical question but was this really love? He had thought of it as lust for quite sometime. Who would not lust after the Yamanaka Heiress? She was, by far, the most beautiful woman that had ever graced his life. Not only in appearance but her personality was something that any man would lust after. Sure, she had a short-temper and she could banter back and forth with sexual innuendos and dirty jokes, but her heart was always warm. She was never quick to judge (at least now that she had grown older) and she was always there to listen and dish out advice when it was necessary. She was an all around good natured woman, despite the flaws that she had but that was what made them human.

However, he knew that he shouldn't even begin to fall in love with the blonde woman. She was far out of his reach, at least she was now. Besides, why would she even give someone like him a chance? Especially after what he had done. He was a pathetic fool, allowing his emotions to take control of him and making him cause her grief. That was all he had done for her. He had made her cry on more than one occasion and made her seethe out venomous words at him. There was no way that he could make a suitable partner for her. There was no way that she could see him more than a knucklehead, more than a jerk.

His point was only solidified by the fact that she had been avoiding him, much like their last argument. He had only caught a glimpse of her, what seemed like, endless hair leaving the scene as soon as he would appear. He almost wished that she wasn't a Sensor, that way he could easily track her down. Well, if he truly tried, he could track her down easily but he couldn't. Why? He was a nervous wreck lately, terrified even. What would she say to him? What could he say to her, aside from apologizing profusely? She was an enigma most of the time, switching between the role of being a Kunoichi and just being herself. He never knew what went on in her mind, even though her emotions shown through easily within her eyes. He supposed that it was something that she learned over time, using her Mind Techniques. She was truly unreadable.

Once again, he was stuck in this place, a limbo of sorts. He wanted to go apologize and talk with her but another part of him wanted to crawl into a hole and hide for all eternity. It was pathetic and childish, that much he knew but he was not a smart man. He now understood why he had been restless as of late, those nagging feelings that he had unsuccessfully ignored for the last few months, he understood them. It was love. It had crept upon him and not for the person that he had been dating but for his friend. The woman that he had been seeing every Wednesday, spending time with her in the seclusion that came with the Greenhouse. He had been falling for her all this time and it was only now that he recognized those feelings. Why couldn't he have felt these feelings for the woman who had been patiently waiting for him to shower her in? Why did it have to be with the woman who was out of his league?

Why did it have to be Ino?

Was this what it was like to be in love? She had explained it to him but now he was fully grasping the concept. He thought back to the Greenhouse, that day that he had seen that expression of Love on her face. He had been so compelled to her that he had nearly kissed her. He had been sure why he had felt so moved to do so but now he knew the weight of the situation. He had always been in love with her, probably since they were younger but it was finally blossoming right before his bright eyes. The love that he had for her when he was younger was a love for a friend. Now, that he had been spending more time with her, he knew that that love had evolved into something far stronger than friendship. She had not judged him for coming so close into her personal space, she did futilely try to resist his advances, though he wasn't sure if she was lost in the sudden moment as well. She had flung herself away from him so quickly, that he was sure that he had offended her. That was why she had avoided him.

She had been confused by his actions, he could see the questions swimming in her eyes. He could see the warning that was there but also something else. It was almost as if she were daring him to kiss her and he probably would have, had it not been for outside interference. A part of him was thankful that the Shadow User had appeared, giving him an opportunity to escape, to clear his suddenly clouded mind. However, another part of him was disappointed that they were interrupted. He wanted to know how far she would allow him to go or was that crossing the invisible boundaries that they had set up around one another.

He was a mess.

* * *

She had spent a lot of time, collecting her thoughts. She went through fits of anger and despair on a daily basis. She knew that he deserved her anger but she couldn't muster up the courage to seek him out and tell him what was on her mind. She would give herself away at that point. She spent most of her time, running away from the places that she was at, once Sensing that he was near. She had yet to recover from that night, her thoughts were all jumbled. What made it worse was the news that he and the Hyuuga had ended their relationship, all too soon afterwards. She had been tempted to seek out the lilac eyed woman. She wanted to investigate why she chose to end their relationship. She wanted to know if the Hyuuga knew about her feelings. She wanted to make the woman swear that she would never tell a soul. She wanted to do all of these things, but she couldn't because he was out there. Knowing the blonde male very well, as soon as he spotted her, he would either look away or try to work things out between them. She wasn't ready for the latter of the two, so she could only hope that he would disregard her.

She knew that he wasn't perfect, he had his flaws but that was what made her fall for him. His emotions were uninhibited and rough around the edges. He was like her in a sense, letting their emotions do the talking for them, even if the words stung. She curled her hand into a fist, feeling a residual sting from slapping him. She knew that both of them knew that he had deserved that blow to the face but it still didn't lessen the guilt that she felt. Why the hell did she feel guilty? He had deserved that slap more than anyone. He had mortified her in the public eye! He had called her a liar! He had crushed her heart with his words, freezing her blood with such a hateful gaze! He had done all these things and **she** was the one who felt guilty. She knew that he was the one who should feel guilty but she knew that she was partially at fault for causing him to see her in such a light. It was all because of one man, too.

Uchiha Sasuke.

How could she even begin to explain how they started speaking with one another on casual terms? Well, the beginning would be a good place to start.

 _She sniffed slightly, resisting the urge to allow her emotions to crumble. She could keep herself composed until she was in the comforts of her home. She glanced over her shoulder, watching the interaction of her teammate and his lover. The Sand Kunoichi frowned as she touched the side of his bruised face, muttering something underneath her breath. He leaned his forehead towards her, resting it on top of hers. They shared that moment with one another silently, thanking a higher power that he had made it out of the ambush alive. Teal eyes glanced away, feeling this stabbing pain in her chest. A sense of longing filling her being, turning away to head home, she was met with an unexpected person._

 _What did he want?_

 _She hadn't expected him to be the one who was waiting for her. She glanced over each shoulder, making sure that his gaze wasn't on someone behind her. She had tried to walk past him, but his hand caught her by the wrist and she paused to look up at him, raising a slender brow. Was he here to scold her for not caring for his friend properly? Was he here to belittle her medical talents? She shrugged her wrist from his grasp, which he willingly allowed her to do so and she turned towards him, crossing her arms over her chest, ready to argue, if that was what he was looking for._

 _A dark eye regarded her silently, before he let out a heavy sigh. "I need you to come with me, Yamanaka."_

" _Why should I," she replied back in a hostile manner._

 _A frown touched his lips and he glanced around, she sensed that he didn't want to cause a scene. So he wasn't here for an argument. He turned his body towards her, his broad chest shielding her from any wandering eyes behind them. He gazed down at her silently and they held eye contact with one another, as if they were having a silent conversation and she let out a heavy sigh. "Can it wait?" She asked, feeling her exhaustion catch up with her but he simply shook his head, walking away from her and she found herself following._

 _He had taken her to a secluded area, away from the eyes and ears of those around them. It was then that he had been to interrogate her feelings. She had been taken aback at how quickly his calm demeanor had shifted into that of hostility. She felt her own ire grow at his questions, a snarl forming on her lips. She didn't like it when her profession was used against her and the Uchiha certainly understood that much. She knew that if they were to engage in a physical altercation, she would lose but that didn't stop her from grabbing him by the front of his shirt, pulling him down to her height and giving him a piece of her mind._

 _He had questioned her endlessly about her feelings towards the Uzumaki and she had given him the answers that he wanted. She had given him all the reasons why she had fallen for that idiot and why she wanted to keep it a secret. She had threatened him with turning his mind into a pile of mush, should he feel so inclined to utter a single word to the Hero of the Village. She had made him swear that this was something that could only be known between the two of them._

 _He agreed._

 _That was the beginning of their unlikely friendship. After all the years of chasing after the Uchiha male, she had to say, she liked the one that he had become in this time. When she wasn't busy with her Training and spending time with Naruto, she had found out that he was suitable companion to spend her time with. She had never really gotten that chance to know him, simply idolizing the idea of him. However, their friendship was not as simple as it may seem on the outside. She understood the risks of being seen in public with him, when it was simply just the two of them. She knew that she was digging her own grave, as rumors would more than likely spread. She thought, one day, as they walked by a shop gazing into the the window's reflection, that they looked nice together. But there was no lingering feelings that she eld for him and since Naruto had suggested that his two teammates should be with one another, she liked the idea of that more. All they could be was a nice looking pair but their emotions were disconnected in the romance are of their minds, they simply enjoyed the company of one another._

 _Besides she soon uncovered a secret within Sasuke._

 _He was not in love with Haruno Sakura._

 _The moment that he had told her that, she was pretty sure that she decked him in the jaw. The memory was hazy because as many arguments that were created by her, they usually ended in Hand to Hand combat. They had laid flat on their backs, each suffering from minor cuts and bruises, gazing up at the darkening sky. She wasn't sure why she had attacked him, maybe she had always wanted to do that, since he returned. She was sure that he too, understood her need to vent out all her anger from her childhood onto him. He willingly accepted the altercation, though he did his best to not hurt her, while defending himself. She had been out for blood and he wasn't sure if he wanted his life to end so soon. Soon, she began to cry because she was overly emotional at this point and she couldn't understand her feelings. After all these years, was she happy to hear that he didn't love Sakura or was she saddened by the fact that the Medic would be devastated. Ino knew that it would take a long time for her best friend to recover, once the Uchiha finally told her._

 _Sitting up, she quietly healed their wounds, that way no would question them, once they went on their separate ways. The Uchiha then opened up about why his feelings for Sakura were that way. He explained that although there was a part of him that did love her, it was not in the same way she loved him. Sakura's unrequited love would continue to be just that and the Uchiha felt remorse over it. He explained that while he accepted her love, there was no part of him that could return it. He appreciated that she spent all of these years loving, longing and waiting for him. He appreciated that she had risked her own life for him, on multiple occasions but it was impossible for him to love her in return._

 _In a sense, the Mind Walker understood the Uchiha. She understood when he explained that he thought that he was in love with the Medic. She understood when he explained that he thought that he could spend a lifetime with her. This was how they had connected. He didn't mention if he had feelings for anyone else but Ino knew that in time, he would find someone that he cared for. It was only a matter time, he stated, that he would tell Sakura about this but he had felt that it was necessary to tell Ino first. That way she could be better prepared to comfort and console the Medic and he wanted to get this fight out of the way prior, he added with a slight smirk. That had earned him a punch to the gut as they made their way back to the Village but the blonde smiled nonetheless._

 _Yes, she really did like this new Sasuke._

 _Did that mean that she was falling for him? No, her unresolved feelings for him and been settled that day after she expended it all through fighting and crying. She felt at peace with the Uchiha now. She had admitted that she had loved him for a long time but it was simply the idea of him that she loved. She had began to loathe him for taking away her best friend at such a trying time in their lives. However, she thanked him for it, contradicting her previous statement. Thanks to the Uchiha's betrayal, Sakura had grown and blossomed into a beautiful flower. She had grown so much over the last five years, thanks for her determination and adoration of the Uchiha but Ino feared that it may be lost once he broke the news to her._

 _But there was no reason to keep leading her on like this._

 _That was how it all started, her friendship with Sasuke. They would meet up, typically in the evening, discussing anything and everything under the sun. He would tell her about his other Team and the hilarity that would be involved with the bunch. She found herself laughing at a few tales. Sometimes, their conversations would turn serious and she would interrogate him extensively, wondering if her would the Village again. It wasn't like she didn't trust him, it was just out of habit. If he could do it once, he could do it again. Each time, he would give her a simple 'no' as an answer and she would accept it. It never seemed to ruin the mood between them but she brought it up more often than not, even a few times, it would get under his skin._

 _However, they continued on with their friendship._

Well, for right now, they were not speaking with one another but it wasn't because she was mad at him. She only wanted things to settle down with the Uzumaki. She knew that she needed to explain all of this to him. She grunted as she lifted up a few boxes from the storage room, it was about time that she threw out all the old equipment. She struggled to carry the heavy box, listening to the clinking noises of metal hitting one another with each step she took.

"Here, let me help."

"Thanks," she breathed out, before her lungs ceased functioning and the air became stuck in her throat. The weight was lifted from her arms and she stood there watching with wide eyes as he carried the box away. She watched him so casually bring out of the storage room, she internally chided herself for not realizing that he was here. How could she just so calmly say that to him? Well, she had been lost in thought, which greatly hindered her Shinobi ability.

"Where do you want this?"

How could he act as if nothing was wrong? How dare he so casually come here and expect her to welcome him with open arms. She felt her temper flare and her eyes narrow on him. "Why are you here?"

He paused his steps, his head dropping slightly as he looked at the box in his hand. With a heavy sigh, he set down the box and she silently begged that he wouldn't turned to look at her. Slowly, he turned to face her, sapphire hues looking at her with a mixture of emotions. She was unaccustomed to not knowing what emotions were swimming in his eyes. She didn't like that she was unable to read him. A frown touched her lips and she crossed her arms around herself, in an insecure manner. "Why are you here?" This time she repeated the question, the hostility in her voice fading into a weak tone.

"I came to apologize about the other night," Naruto said gently. He ran a hand through his unruly locks, a heavy sigh leaving him. "I...I have no explanation for why I acted that way…"

A small snort left her as she rolled her eyes. "That's not helping your case." She shifted her weight on her feet, biting her lower lip gently. "I'm not over it. I'm not sure when I'll get over it. I can't believe that you would accuse me like that."

"I know, Ino. I don't know why those words left my mouth. It's just…:" His voice trailed off. It was as if in this moment, he could hear the pounding of his heart within his ears. His mouth felt dry and there was no way he could speak. He had no right to tell her about his feelings. She deserved someone better than him. However, the thought of her being with anyone else was unsettling. Realization dawned upon him, perhaps he had known for a while now but just didn't want to admit it.

He had fallen for the Yamanaka.

He cleared his throat as he tried to piece together his thoughts and she watched him expectantly. She was waiting for him to say something, anything to ease the hurt that he had caused her. When he had yet to formulate an excuse, the Mind Walker let out a heavy sigh, her guarded arms falling from their hold around her. She tugged at the end of her ponytail, pressing her lips together in a thin line. Her eyes studied him briefly before she looked away.

"Look, I get it. Both Sakura and Sasuke mean a lot to you," she said gently, trying to hide the bitterness that threatened to fill her tone. "You three have been through a lot and it's only right that you want to see them happy. But sometimes, things like that don't work out. Life never goes according to what we plan out, Naruto."

"What do you mean?"

She bit the inside of her cheek, knowing that it wasn't her place to tell of the Uchiha's feelings. She knew that she was known for letting information slip through her lips, but that was just for the Gossip Group that was in the Village. When it came to people she cared about and missions, she learned it was best to keep her lips sealed. "You should seek out Sasuke. He'll have the answers you're looking for," she reassured him.

"Why can't you tell me," Naruto asked, he could feel his hostility grow as she continued to refer the Uchiha in such a familiar way.

"It isn't my place to tell you, Naruto." She shook her head slightly, gazing at him with somber eyes. "I don't know what made you think that the Uchiha and I were in a secret relationship but I can tell you that you were wrong. He and I are nothing more than friends, that's all it will ever be."

"I don't get it," he muttered out, a growl rumbling from his throat. "We tell each other everything, Ino. No matter how big the secret is, we've always found comfort in one another." He ran his hands roughly through his hair once more. His clenched fists settled on his hips as he glared down at the ground and he shook his head in disbelief. " But when it comes to Sasuke, you can't tell me?"

"I told you, I just...can't…"she said in an exasperated manner. "Why can't you just take it like it is. If you want to know so bad, just go ask him!" She threw her hands up in the air, feeling her temper beginning to rise from a simmer to a boil.

"You're in love, aren't you?"

It was like the air suddenly chilled around him, her eyes narrowing on his face, her expression matching is own frustrated one. "What are you talking about, Uzumaki,?" He flinched at how icy her tone suddenly become, her eyes turning into glacial shards, pinning him with a dangerous glare. The way she spat out his last name warned him, he had stepped over his boundaries.

"Who is it?" He questioned, the warning that he felt from her was not enough to deter his determination. "You said that you weren't interested in anyone but...I saw your expression, you're in love with someone." _And it's killing me to not know_ , he thought to himself.

"Is this why you're like this? You want to know who I'm in love with," she asked slowly, feeling her voice slowly begin to rise. "And you thought that I was in love with the Uchiha, so you went and caused a scene due to…" She paused, her brows knitting together in a mild anger. "Due to jealousy?"

When she said that word, he felt a pang of guilt hit him. He hadn't meant for her to so easily pin down the emotion that he had been internally warring over in his mind. However, when it came to reading people, no one compared to the Yamanaka. The female across from him shook her head as a dry laugh left her, incoherently words were muttered under her breath. Clenching her teeth together, she let out a heavy exhale, knowing that she could easily lose herself over how idiotic he was being.

"Or was it disbelief? You thought that I was lying to you all this time, even though I had blatantly told you that I held no residual feelings for that man." A snarl tore across her face and he could feel the bloodlust rise in the air. "Why is it so important to you?"

"B-Because I…" He paused, clearing his throat gently. "We're friends, Ino." He managed out in a tone that betrayed what he had wanted to sound like. He sounded weak and unsure of himself. Weren't they friends? He knew that deep down that he wanted to be the one that she saw in such a romantic light but he was digging his own grave at this point.

"Friends?" She breathed out, her heavy breathing becoming louder now. He watched as her face went through varying states of emotions. The first was shock, it caused her eyes to widened and for her to take a fraction of a step away from him. Her hand rested on her chest before curling into a fist as anger touched her features. Her whole face slowly turned a light shade of red, her cheeks puffing out slightly as she held back the words that threatened to explode from her. Disgust caused a sneer to curl at her lips and her eyes to narrow suddenly. Then there was a sadness that took over her face, her expression softening as the creases of anger faded from her angular face. She sucked in her lower lip, biting into it viciously as she was battling silently with herself. Then ever so slowly, her eyes lifted to him, softening into a solemn expression. "I couldn't be friends with you, Naruto. Not even if I tried."

The final arrow to his heart had been struck.

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: I Couldn't Be Your Friend by Tegan and Sara.**

 **I apologize for any errors or mistakes, I'm not a different computer this week and it's super duper slow and old. As I've said before, Naruto is a dumb dumb. Of course, he doesn't understand that she couldn't be friends with him because she's in love with him. Jealousy is a wicked thing and Naruto is like eating five spoonful of that mess. But fear not my loves, things will work out because it's my story and I can do what I want. Also, I felt like it was important to discuss why Ino and Sasuke have been mentioned together in the last few chapters. Anyways I hope you all enjoyed the sixth installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **. Feedback is appreciated and thanks for reading! -Tinyraver**


	7. Girl Crush

_**AN: Let's do some small housekeeping in this chapter, tie up a few loose ends. (Spoiler Alert: I'll address SasuSaku soon). Also, since I didn't want to go into too much detail in each chapter, this chapter will bring up things that I haven't written but are part of their bond. I hope guys don't mind. However, I didn't want to confuse you all and have you go "Well...when did that happen?" The way I see it, they've been doing what they've been doing for like months...MONTHS now. I'm not about to write each months' worth of development, like I normally do. Too much time and I lack the effort. Like I said, I don't want this story to be too short or too long. Also, have you noticed, I'm posting faster. Well -dingdingding- I'm finishing up the last chapter of this story, so I can post more freely! -party hard- Aside from that, as usual, thank you for all the love and reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter and happy reading~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Violence, Language and Sexual Themes.**_

 _ **Legend: Italics for Thoughts, Flashbacks, etc.**_

* * *

 **007 Girl Crush**

* * *

" _I couldn't be friends with you, Naruto. Not even if I tried."_

He was still in shock, in disbelief. Those words had sealed his fate with the Yamanaka. She had politely asked him to leave after saying those words and he could only nod, speechless as he left her property. He had missed the blonde cursing under her breath, yanking at the end of her ponytail as she realized her mistake. She had meant to tell him her true feelings but her lack of confidence had once again caused her to fall short. He had missed her hesitant steps to follow after him, in order to clear the air around them. He had missed the frustrated tears that had pooled in her eyes. He had missed it all as he wandered the streets of Konoha. He had walked through a daze throughout the Village, ignoring the stares that were given to him and disregarding the concerned calls of his name. He had managed to make it to one of the places that he used often to clear his mind. His eyes stared the Village, silently marveling at how much they had expanded and grew over the last few years. He let out a sigh as he crumpled into a sitting position on top of the Hokage Monument. He rested the side of his face on his fist as he gazed at his beloved home.

Was there a way to fix things now? He was sure that this had been their final conversation, they would go back to their old ways. Casually greeting one another in public then going on about their day. There would be no more bonding moments in the Greenhouse. There would be no late night run-ins at the store for midnight snacks and booze. There would be no more times where he would come to her place, frantically trying to escape the monsters that were within his dreams, all his doubts and insecurities. There would be no comforting and understanding hand that rested on his shoulder, leading him inside to a cup of warm and soothing tea. There would be no conversations of things that continued to haunt him. No more times where they simply sat in a comforting silence, before he fell asleep on the couch and she would gently place a blanket over him. There would be no more of their relationship.

He was sure that he had broken their bond today.

A heavy sigh left him as he continued to gaze at the Village, a feeling of longing gripping his heart in its icy clutch. So this was the other stage of love, she spoke of. He had known that it would hurt (because he loved Sasuke and it always depressed him in the past) but he didn't realize how much it would affect him. Because this love was a different type of love, a love he had never experienced, until now. Letting out a frustrated cry, he ruffled his hair in annoyance between his hands before flailing over onto the ground. What was he supposed to do now? He had always looked forward to spending time with the Mind Walker, she was so vibrant and welcoming. She never questioned why he had chosen to stop by all the time, the Greenhouse had been an escape from his duties and responsibilities. It was also a place where he was able to just simply, Uzumaki Naruto and she, Yamanaka Ino.

It was a very special place to him.

"Ah...um...Naruto?" A gentle voice called out to him.

He lifted himself off the ground, from his unflattering and uncomfortable position, as the voice reached his ears. He turned, not expecting to the Hyuuga Heiress here. A small smile touched his lips and he slowly stood up, brushing off the dirt from his clothes. "Hey Hinata," he said gently. "What's up?"

The lilac eyed woman bit her lower lip and looked at the ground. It wasn't like the Uzumaki to not notice when someone was near him. She had seen him in the Village, a lost look in his eyes. Naturally, she was worried and when she had tried to call out to him, she was ignored. It was only out of curiosity and concern that she followed him up here. Of course, there were still feelings of love towards the Nine-Tails Holder but she was the one who had called an end to their relationship. That didn't mean that she didn't have a right to not care about him, it would be difficult not to care about him after all these years. She kicked a rock gently as she tried to formulate the words she wanted to ask him.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," Naruto said gently. "Right now...it really isn't a good time."

She snapped her head up, looking at him with surprised eyes. He was rubbing the back of his neck with his bandaged hand, the other placed on his hip. He was staring down at the ground, his eyes full of remorse and sadness. A frown was on his lips and she didn't enjoy seeing this side of the man that she loved. She stepped closer to him, her delicate hand touching his arm gently. "That's why I believe you need someone to talk to," she said gently, a faint smile touching the corners of her lips.

He looked down at her with wide eyes before he looked away from her, a small nod coming from him. He pulled her down to sit back on the ground, it had taken him a few moments before he began to talk to her about all that was on his mind. He recounted everything that had been happening internally and externally with him. He knew that, maybe, he was hurting the Hyuuga even more but she had offered to listen to him and he desperately needed someone to talk to. When he finished, he ran a hand over his face, a small weight that was on him and lifted, relieving the heaviness in his chest.

"How long have you…" The Hyuuga inhaled deeply, feeling her hands tremble slightly. "How long have you loved her?"

"Maybe forever," he replied after a few moments of silence, his voice barely rising above a whisper. He pulled his legs close to his chest, wrapping his arms around his limbs. "I'm sorry, Hinata."

The dark haired woman closed her eyes, she knew that he had been occupied by someone else for quite sometime now but never had the courage to ask him. "I knew," she whispered. "I knew that you didn't belong with me."

The blonde winced at the pain that was in her voice. "I tried," he blurted out. "I tried to love you the way you deserved to be love, I promise you that."

"I know that too," she said with a weak smile. "And I thank you for that, Naruto." She let out a shaky breath as she slowly stood up, glancing up at the sky that had fallen into the darkness of the night, stars twinkling above them. "I think that I knew that she was the one you loved that night and I knew that I needed to let you go, so you could figure it out yourself."

"You deserve someone better than me, Hinata." The blonde said, looking up at the sky as well. "All I ever did was decieve you."

"No, I think that it was...good that we were together, I've learned a lot about myself being with you." She wrapped her arms around her waist. "And I am no better than you. I want to say that I am happy for you but it is...still much too soon for me to acknowledge it. I have loved you for such a long time, Naruto."

He nodded his head, feeling the guilt of leading her own weigh him down once more. "But," she said, causing him to perk his head up. "I believe that she loves you too. Just like you, she may not know it or she's hiding it from you, you'll have to find that out on your own."

He blinked, face full of surprise. Ino...could be in love with...him? That couldn't be possible, it shouldn't be possible. Well...maybe...She was in love with someone, that much he knew. He also knew that it wasn't with the Uchiha or the Nara. He was certain that she still couldn't be fawning over Sai. That short flame with the Artist had died a long time ago or so she had said (which he knew better than to not believe her). What other options were there? He had never fathomed that he could possibly be on that list of potential suitors. She was right, he had to find out for himself.

"Thanks, Hinata," he said in a gentle tone, a small smile touching his hand reached out to ruffle the hair on top of her head but he pulled his outstretched hand back. He simply nodded his head before turning to head back down to the Village.

"Come on, I'll walk you home."

* * *

Apprehensive eyes followed her, she could feel them boring into her back. As much as she tried to ignore people staring at her, she knew she would have to deal with whatever was on her company's mind. She moved around the shop in a flurry of movements, grabbing a variety of items. In between her teeth there was a ribbon the color of a nauseating pink (ten shades brighter than Sakura's hair). Strapped to her waist was a belt with scissors, wires and measuring tape. Her fingertips were taped up because she had a small accident while hastily cutting tulle, ribbon and flowers. As mush as she loved creating and designing floral arrangements, she hated last minute projects, much like this one.

She was supposed to have gotten the order five months ago via Carrier Pigeon however the damned bird had been killed by a territorial hawk that frequented its habitat within the borders of the Fire Country. This was why she preferred trained Hawks but she was getting off track now. One of her customers in the Land of Honey was getting married and requested her floral arrangements for the ceremony and reception. As elated as Ino would normally be about hearing a client getting married, she was two steps away from drowning in her contained rage.

He was an imbecile! He should have been more adamant about keeping her updated. Who the hell sends only **two** letters? The only reason she was informed of doing these floral arrangements was because she received an invitation to the wedding itself because he had been a long time client of the Yamanaka Flower Shop. She recalled dropping the invitation on the ground and stomping on it when she read the little note to her on the back of the card, asking if it was too late to change the flowers' colors. A snort left her as she cursed under her breath as she continued to work. He was lucky that she had plenty of his requested colored flowers in stock (and he paid very handsomely) or else he would have received a huge 'Fuck Off' from her.

She had had to cancel all her prior plans in order to dedicate her time and effort into this hell of a project. Her eyes flickered over to her company, who seemed rather impatient at this point. It was unlike her to be like this and that only caused the Yamanaka to worry. "I'm almost done and then I'll be yours for my entire lunch break," she called out, ducking into the back room to grab a few colored stones to fill the bottom of the vase on her front counter. She moved so fast that she tripped over a few boxes that had been thrown about her store, she ignored the slight ache in her ankle as she continued to work. She swore that she had finished the pink and yellow Rose arrangement in record breaking time as she tied that obnoxiously pink tulle bow around the vase. Placing in a few Baby's Breath in certain parts of the arrangement, she used the back of her hand to wipe off the sweat that dotted her forehead. She smiled in accomplishment before grabbing the vase and a few other ones to place it in a cooler area, to keep the flowers fresh and from wilting.

Shutting the door, she spun around, yanking off all the gardening and decorating equipment that she had on her and tossing them onto the front counter. A meek smile touched her lips as she walked around the counter to the person waiting for her. "I apologize for the wait, Hinata. You happened to catch me at an awkward time," she breathed out as she guided the lilac eyed woman out of her shop.

"It's fine, I had no idea that you would be so...busy." She bit her lower lip. "I didn't mean to rush you but I needed to speak with you today."

The blonde waved her hand as if it wasn't too much of a big deal, which it wasn't, she tugged on the door of her shop, making sure it was locked before turning to her friend. "So, where would you like to eat, I'm starving," Ino said with a small laugh. "I've been so frantic about this order that I skipped out on breakfast."

"Is it not interfering with your Shinobi career?" The Hyuuga asked, glancing up at the taller woman.

Ino tiled her head to the side in thought. "Some days, it does but it's something that I've learned to handle. Besides, it brings in good profit most of the year and…" Her eyes softened with a mild sadness. "I wouldn't be able to stand shutting this place down."

"Do you not need help? Running a shop by yourself seems...taxing."

Ino let out a gentle laugh. "It can be a pain but I do get help from time to time." She bit the inside of her cheek, realizing that she probably wouldn't receive any for a while. She didn't want to think about it him for right now, she needed to focus her attentions of others things.

Like food.

They found a spot in a nice little cafe that had just opened up. She hungrily stared at the menu, trying to decide when she would be able to eat again and how many calories was in the 'Konoha Special Omelette,' but she was also watching the Hyuuga carefully. She could tell that there was something bothering the reserved woman, the way her eyes would watch her, the frown that tugged at the corner of her lips and how her fingers would fidget with one another. There was something up and the blonde was simply waiting for the Byakugan User to speak up. After placing their order and sitting in silence for a few moments, Ino decided to make the first move.

"It's not often that you come to speak with me, Hinata. Not that I mind, you're busy with learning all the rules and regulations of your Clan for your ascension, right?" She received a small nod from the woman across from her. Her eyes closed and she let out a sigh. "So it must be pretty big that you, who is normally patient, to be so persistent to speak with me today, when clearly I have a full schedule." She noted that the Hyuuga winced slightly, probably not realizing that the Yamanaka had picked up on her body language.

Of course she had, the Yamanaka was an exceptionally perceptive individual. Hinata let out a slow and steady breath, trying to formulate the words that she had been struggling to sort out since she first walked into the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

"It's about Naruto, isn't it," Ino stated in a low voice, idling taking a swig of her water.

Hinata's head snapped up, eyes wide. Had she used her Mind Techniques. She watched a small smile touch Ino's lips as she shook her head. "Your thoughts are easy to read without my Techniques, Hinata," Ino murmured gently. The blonde set down her glass, placing her hands in her lap. How were they supposed to talk about that knucklehead?

"How do you feel about him," Hinata asked hesitantly. Well, that was certainly a step in the right direction.

Ino leaned her chin on a supporting arm as she mulled over the question. "Some days, I'm not sure," she murmured. "He annoys me because he's always bothering me but I guess that's just the kind of guy he is. Then again, I wouldn't want him any other way." A fond smile came to her lips. "But overall, he's an idiot."

Hinata watched Ino speak about her previous love, watching her face fill with an affectionate emotion, contrasting to all the remarks she said about the blonde male. So, she really did care for him. The Hyuuga wasn't sure why she was putting herself through this. Maybe it was because she needed absolute closure about ending things with the Uzumaki. Maybe it was because she wanted to be sure that he found happiness with Ino. Maybe it was because she wanted to make sure that Ino was truly in love with him. She knew that she still loved the Uzumaki but more than anything, she wanted him to be happy. She wanted him to be in love with someone that shared the same feelings. That was all she had ever wanted for him, ever since they were younger. "Do you love him?"

The question caught her off guard. Ino fell silent from her ramble on all this things that she disliked about the Uzumaki (which weren't really things that she disliked about him). She felt her face heat up slightly and she glanced away from the woman across from her. She had had an inkling that this would be brought up today. She knew that Hinata had been there that night when Naruto barged into the restaurant. She knew that anyone might have been able to put the pieces together (except for Naruto). She tugged at her ponytail, biting her lower lip. "Yeah," she breathed out.

The Hyuuga inhaled sharply at the resolute answer, her brows furrowing slightly. "Then why are you hesitating?"

A dry laugh left the blonde which caused the dark haired woman to frown. "That is the question, isn't it," Ino murmured to herself. She ran her fingers through the tangled knots of her hair. "I hesitated because I knew that you two were together. I hesitated because I figured that it was the best course of action, Hinata." Her teal eyes lifted up to look into pale ones. "More than anything, I wanted Naruto to find his own happiness, I thought it would be selfish of me to try to pursue him while he was with you."

"But things didn't work out between Naruto and I," the Hyuuga stated solemnly though she was surprised that the Yamanaka Heiress had the same thoughts as she did about Naruto's happiness.

"I know that but even before then, when I had first fallen for him, he still idolized Sakura. So I thought that if he chose her, I would be content." A heavy sigh left the blonde woman. "But Sakura only has eyes for Sasuke, so I knew he would move on. You know, everyone knew about the feelings that you had for Naruto, except for him." She smiled as she watched Hinata blush furiously. "I thought 'What right do I have to interfere with that kind of love.' And so, when you confessed to him, I thought that you two would be perfect for one another. You had given him unconditional love for all these years, you never judged him. You saw him for what and who he was. At that point, I also thought that I would be content with the idea of you two being together…"

"But," Hinata chimed in, knowing that there was more to what Ino let on.

A smile came to her lips and she nodded her head. "But as the years passed on and the more time I spent with him, my feelings continued to grow. I felt...like I was betraying not only my decision but you, so I tried my best to keep him away." She cradled her head in her hands as she allowed herself this moment to convey her feelings. "I have only ever wanted him to be happy, with his life and with the person that he loves. I never once thought that I had any right to love him in the manner that I do. I've always pushed him away from myself. I have sacrificed my own desires to see that he succeeds. I've given him countless of hours of advice on how to woo you, despite a part of me wishing that things ended between the two of you."

"Because you see, Hinata. I am a selfish woman. I want him all for myself. I don't want to share him with anyone. I began to hope that if he spent enough time with me, he would understand that I loved him. I thought that he would confess his true feelings for me but…" Another dry laugh left the blonde. "All we ever do is argue over trivial things. All I can ever do is push him away from these selfish impulses that I have because I didn't want to be the one who took him away from you, from anyone. I had decided that I would support him in any manner that I could. That I would love him from a far and merely be content with being his friend."

"But you did take him away from me," Hinata stated in an absolute manner, watching the blonde wince slightly. The Hyuuga let out a sigh, knowing that she was partially wrong. "No, he hasn't been mine for years now, Ino. I knew that he would never be mine but I held onto those childish fantasies of mine. I have loved him for so long and to come to the conclusion that you have feelings for him too. It is painful."

"I'm sorry, Hinata," Ino said while bowing her head to the woman across from her. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

She flinched when a delicate hand rested on her arm, teal looked up into lilac. "Love is unexpected, it doesn't do what we want it to do, no matter how hard we pray for it to."

A small smile came to her lips and she nodded slowly. "You're right."

"But I do have one request, Ino." Hinata said in a increasingly determined tone. "Promise me, that when you do reveal your feelings to him...and should return those feelings…" She paused, knowing without a doubt that the feelings would be more than mutual. "Promise me that you will love him in a way that I couldn't. Promise me you will love him in a way that he couldn't manage for me. Promise me that you will love him right."

A slow smile came to the blonde's lips and Hinata felt her voice get caught in her throat. She could understand why people were jealous of the Yamanaka's appearance. She could understand why anyone would be wrong if one part of them didn't fall in love with her. She watched the apples of her cheeks become rosy and round like the fruit. She watched her eyes shimmer to a deep aquamarine, reminding her of the waves rolling into the shore. She wanted to be Ino in that moment. She wanted to be the one who had captured Naruto's eyes and heart the way the blonde woman had. She wanted to be everything that Ino was and what she wasn't.

Hinata watched herself fall for the woman across from her. The woman who was in love with her first love. There was a little resentment within the Hyuuga, mixed with jealousy but more than that she was...content. She knew that the Mind Walker would uphold those promises, even without confirming it. She knew that the two blondes would find happiness and she prayed that it would last for an eternity.

"I promise, Hinata." Ino reassured, placing a hand over the one that rested on her arm, giving it a gently squeeze. "I promise."

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Girl Crush by Little Big Town**

 **Alright, I want to clarify some things so there won't be any misunderstandings. What Naruto meant by saying "Maybe forever," it does not mean that he was romantically in love with Ino for forever. It's more of he loved her as a friend when they were little, a closer friend as they grew older and so on. It's like the stages of love kind of deal. That is all. It is not like the love that Hinata had for him as a boy and Sakura had for Sasuke. Those emotions are three different things. Also, I don't feel bad for using Hinata as a reason that they understand their feelings, because I feel like she needs the closure and confirmation as well to help her move on. I hope all enjoyed the seventh installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Feedback is appreciated and thanks for reading! -Tinyraver**


	8. Kiss My Lips

_**AN: As usual, thank you all for the love and the reviews. Hmm, maybe this story will be ending soon. I didn't plan for it to be long and drawn out either. I think ten or so chapters is long enough. I feel like I've gotten my point across. Haha! What do you guys think? The main purpose of this story was to make them fall in love and live happily ever after. We're getting close but we'll see if I have anymore ideas in my head. I don't really think I can make this story any longer than I already have. It's been nothing but a slow build up to their relationship and once it is confirmed, I will honestly have nothing else to write. I will have reached the goal that I had in mind. With that being said, I hope you enjoy with chapter and happy reading~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Violence, Language and Sexual Themes.**_

* * *

 **008 Kiss My Lips**

* * *

"You're not serious, are you?"

The Mind Walker glanced up from her packing, a frown on the corner of her lips. She knew that this would be the reaction that was given. "Yes, Forehead, I am."

"When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" The pink haired woman exclaimed, collapsing onto Ino's bed, kicking her feet that dangled over the edge of the bed.

"I don't know," the blonde stated. She frowned once more, knowing that she should have said something sooner but there were complications. "Maybe it's because I wasn't so sure that I was in love with him."

"Bullshit," Sakura spat out, lifting herself with the support of her elbows. "I know you, Pig. You fall in love easily and get your heart broken in return."

"See, that's why I was hesitant!" She cried out while tossing her hands in the air."I don't want my heart to get broken again, so I just hid away my feelings for him."

The Medic's eyes fell, realizing that she had stepped on thin ice with the blonde. She knew that the Mind Walker was sensitive about love. She had been there every time the blonde decided to throw away those ideas of romanticism. She was there when the blonde would cry, asking if there was some sort of undesirable trait about her. Why couldn't she connect with the men that she idolized? Why was it always someone else. In all honesty, Sakura had no idea what to say to the blonde during those times. Ino was beautiful, beyond that maybe. She was compassionate and she could hold her own in a fight. She was funny when she saw the opportunity to joke around and she was stone cold when someone upset her. All in all, she was Human, just like the rest of them. She wasn't someone who wasn't unobtainable because the blonde so desperately wanted to be in love with someone who loved her. That someone just hadn't shown up yet.

Sakura bit her lower lip. "With Naruto, huh?"

A low groan left the blonde as her head fell forward onto the side of her bed. "I know, I know," she moaned out, her brows pinching together.

"I just don't get it," Sakura mused out. "I mean, I guess it's not the kind of man I expected you to fall for."

Ino let out a laugh and she nodded her head. "That's exactly how I felt." She pulled away from resting on the side of her bed, licking her dry lips. She inhaled deeply, deciding to tell her best friend when she had first fallen for the Nine-Tails Holder. She explained how it all started. She told of the feelings that she kept to herself all these years. She described all the ideal men that she had created in her mind and how they all failed her, except for Naruto, who strayed from the path that she had created. She told the Medic how much time she had been spending with him, the way he was around her and how her heart couldn't handle how deep it had fallen for him. She recounted every argument that they had, every word that went back and forth between them. She described how in the Greenhouse, they had almost kissed for reasons unknown (Sakura squealed at that recollection). She said everything that came to mind about the Uzumaki.

"For years," Sakura breathed out. "You've felt this way about him this way for years?"

Ino slowly nodded her head, going back to folding and packing away clothes. "Yes, Forehead."

A snort left the pink haired woman as she rolled over onto her back. "Well, it's obvious that he has feelings for you."

A hum of acknowledgement left the blonde as she stood up to grab a few items from her bathroom.

"Wait, you know he does…" Sakura's brow furrowed slightly. "Then why the hell aren't you doing anything?"

A dry laugh left the blonde as she came back into the room. "Like I said, I'm scared of being hurt again. So, I'm waiting for him to make the first move."

"You both are idiots," Sakura muttered, not understanding her friend's thought process. "If anything, you're just delaying the inevitable."

"Who says the results won't be worth it though?"

The Medic rolled her eyes, chucking an easily dodged pillow. "Whatever, don't come crying to me when that idiot takes forever to confess to you."

"I am very patient," Ino mused out with a smirk on her lips. She had been patient for years now, what harm could a few days do?

"Anyways, what were you doing with Sasuke," Sakura asked cautiously, pulling at a loose string on her blanket.

Ino let out a sigh, deciding to tell her how her and the Uchiha had become friends after their night out. Of course, she excluding the part about his secret, knowing that he'd get his ass in gear soon.

* * *

The wedding had been a beautiful ceremony, set in one of the vast fields that was within the Land of Honey. Of course, she didn't pummel her client into the ground, not wanting him to know that all the floral arrangements were done in the last minute, because that could lead to more last minute projects that she despised doing. Instead, she greeted him with a smile and hug before heading off to make sure that the flowers had kept well and proceeded to help set up the ceremony and reception area. She couldn't help but smile as the guests and Bride gushed over the arrangements that fit well with their pink, yellow and orange wedding colors. She couldn't help but shamelessly promote herself when the reception came and the Groom introduced her to future clients. Overall, this small mission (personal mission) was a success and she knew that she would be able to gain more monetary value for her Shop and also she could probably afford higher priced seedlings and buds. There was no one to rival her in the Garden and Botany field back at home. Hell, there was no one in the Shinobi World that could. It may not be a huge accomplishment but it struck a chord within her. She was happy with how far her late father's hobby had come and she would continue to invest and dedicate herself to see that it flourishes properly.

Aside from the shameless plug for herself, she enjoyed being away from Konoha. Sometimes it was simply nice to get away and not to have to worry about life or death situations. Despite popular belief, Shinobi didn't always go out on the field to see if they could survive. Those missions were usually reserved for high ranking Nin or Anbu. She was proud of her status of Jonin and soon to be promoted to Head of T&I (whenever that scarred bastard chose to retire) but she didn't have any desire to move any further, at least not now. She was reaching her twentieth year and she felt as if she should in enjoy it properly. Working at the T&I Department brought in money when she wasn't on missions and the Shop did as well. She was financially stable which was quite the feat for someone her age (Sakura still lived at home with her parents) and she didn't have to rely on anyone else to help support her, despite the Yamanaka Clan's funds that were in a vault in the bank. She was truly happy with how far she had come.

She was sure that her predecessors would feel the same way, hopefully.

When she had returned to her room at the Inn she had been staying at, she indulged in the Public Bathhouse that they provided. She felt her stress melt away as she sunk lower into the water. This was actually more of a small vacation for her. She didn't have to worry about any of the responsibilities that she had left behind in Konoha. More than that, this gave her time to contemplate all that had transpired over the course of the last week or so.

After her lunch with the Hyuuga Heiress, she felt this strange lightweight feeling coursing through her body. It was as if the heaviness in her chest had been lifted, now that she had revealed her true feelings, She knew that Sakura was correct in saying that they were idiots and she was sure that the Medic was upset to find out after so long. She felt a little guilty that she confessed her feelings to the Hyuuga before the Medic, but the dark haired woman had been looking for answers, which Ino was sure that she needed to hear. Speaking of the pink haired woman, she wondered when the Uchiha would break the news to her or maybe Sakura would realize it soon enough. She shook her head, knowing that Sakura wouldn't even dare begin to think that Sasuke didn't have any feelings for her, she would still love him regardless. She groaned, knowing what a headache this could be but she knew that it had to be done.

Things that had to be done, huh.

Blowing air bubbles from her nose into the water, she thought of the man that had been occupying her mind for years now. It was ironic, how she was known for occupying other people's minds and yet someone was constantly on hers. Uzumaki Naruto. She knew that she would have to speak with him soon but she also knew she needed time to herself. She had spent the last several months constantly in his presence, she had given herself little time to think about everything that had happened between them. The blonde knew that there was something there. There had to be. He had almost kissed her back in the Greenhouse, he may not have understood it then but she did. He was attracted to her (rightfully so her younger self would yell out) but he didn't see it yet. She could vividly remember the confusion on his face when she pushed him away. She could see him look down in thought. Hell, even at the restaurant, he was confused. He didn't understand what was happening with him, it was instinctive.

She had spent all this time hoping that he would finally realize his feelings but he wasn't the brightest and she was doubtful. She had had obligations towards Hinata that made her stay in the dark with her feelings but that had never stopped the fantasies that played in her mind. She knew that she had messed up with the Uzumaki, as well. He was not the only one at fault when it came to how they were at this point. She had sent him a cryptic message, saying that she couldn't be friends with him. _Friends_. Oh how she loathed that damned word. That day, she was positive that he would tell her that he had feelings for her, she could read it in his face, but his mouth betrayed his feelings, much like hers did. He had uttered that word and in her mind, she snapped. She hated that he couldn't see her as a woman, as a potential partner. Only a friend. Friends didn't barge in on dinner with another friend. Friends didn't almost kiss one another. However, she now understood that he didn't mean to say that stupid words but still, the residual stab ached when she thought about it.

But what she had told him was true. There was no possible way that she could be merely friends. She hated the fact that she had been stuck on the sidelines for all these years but she had done it to make sure that he found his happiness. She had done so because that was what friends do, but she was tired of that way of thinking. She wanted to be selfish with him. She wanted to be the only thing he saw when the sun came up and when the moon peaked in the night's sky. She wanted to know the feel of his body against hers. She wanted to feel his breath in the crook of her neck, his teeth nibble her ears. Aside for the more primal images, she wanted to feel his body ripple in a shiver when she reached out for him while they slept. She wanted to feel his arms wrap around her behind her while she cooked. She wanted to be the reason he smiled so brightly. She wanted to return all the feelings and the life that he had given her. She wanted to take him away and have him all to herself.

In due time, she would let him know of these feelings that she had, but she also wanted him to process his feelings as well. She wanted to make sure that his feelings were true because she wouldn't be able to handle rejection, not after this long. In a way, she felt guilty for being the reason why Naruto and Hinata didn't work out. If she had never began to hang out with Naruto then they would still be together but the Hyuuga Heiress had even stated that they were doomed for a while now. So some part of her thought that it was a good thing that she had intervened, but that was simply a small part of her. She sank lower into the water, letting out a heavy sigh as she looked across the steaming surface.

She would change things when she got back.

* * *

"Is it true?"

In the middle of a demolished training field, two men laid there worse for wear. Articles of clothing had been burned and ripped. Blood, sweat and dirt covered every inch of their exposed skin. A pair of chests rose and fell dramatically as each tried to regain their lost breath. It was kind of funny to him, they had been in this position before but last time resulted in each losing an arm. At least this time they still had all of their other limbs. The only thing that truly hurt was his pride.

"Yeah." His counterpart wheezed out, wincing at the feeling of his broken ribs digging into his lungs.

"Tch. Bastard."

That was all that the blonde was able to manage out as tears pricked the corner of his eyes, rolling down the sides of his face. He clenched his jaw, trying to hold back the sob that threatened to leave him. All he had ever wanted was to make the Uchiha happy. Happy with himself and the life that he lead. He was sure that their pink haired teammate would be the one to help him as well. However, when Naruto had confronted him about the Mind Walker, they began to plummet into a heated argument. When he finally questioned his feelings for Sakura because despite what Ino had stated, he was still curious about where the Uchiha's happiness lay. The raven had fallen silent in the middle of their punching match to confirm one of his worst fears.

He didn't love her.

Somewhere within his large heart, a tiny dark place caught flame within him and he could no longer control his emotions. He had attacked the Uchiha immediately, unable to put what he wanted to say into actual words, he let his body do the talking. A part of him was happy that the Uchiha didn't love Sakura (his childhood self) because Sakura deserved more than what Sasuke could offer her, if only she would open her eyes to world around her. Another part of him was enraged, furious because what the hell had this been for? He had spent so many years chasing after the Uchiha, promising the Medic to bring back the man that she truly loved and the brother that he had never had. Sure, he and the Uchiha shared a bond that had withstood all the trials and tribulations that the Uchiha and the world had placed against him. But more than anything, probably because he claimed that he loved Sakura, he wanted to bring back Sasuke for her. He wanted to see her smile happily again. He wanted to see her laugh more. He thought that he was doing the right thing but….had he?

The Uchiha slowly sat up, allowing the blonde male to sort through his conflicting feelings. He clutched his side in pain, wheezing slightly. "Look, idiot, I love you." He paused to spit out blood that had pooled in his mouth. "And I love Sakura, you both are the only family that I have in Konoha but that's as far as I can manage to go with my feelings for the two of you. Family."

The tears had ceased their falling as he rolled his head to the side to stare at the Uchiha. It was strange but he was elated to hear that Sasuke thought so fondly of them. The raven licked his split lip, hissing slightly. "I wish that I could love Sakura in the way she loves me but I have been in the darkness for too long…" He let out a gentle sigh. "There is no possible way for me to understand her endless devotion and adoration. As much as I hate to admit it, I have had others there in my time of need than the two of you...although I know you both tried."

The blonde could understand what Sasuke was trying to convey because he had gone through those same emotions with the Hyuuga. However, the blonde was still upset. How could the Uchiha, whom he claimed to be a brother with, not tell him of all people? He instead, chose Ino to confine to, that stung his pride a bit. He thought he understood the Uchiha more than anyone else.

"I wouldn't have tried to push you two together, had I know," Naruto whined with a small pout.

"I wanted to...try," Sasuke muttered, not sure if that was the proper response.

"Still," he exclaimed in an exasperated manner. "Why didn't you tell me, bastard?"

The Uchiha let out a faint laugh. "Because, idiot, I knew how you'd react."

This had caused the blonde to laugh, knowing that the Uchiha knew him all too well. He wondered how Ino had reacted and he was sure that she had done that same. After all, they were similar in many ways. He and the Uchiha spent hours there, talking about anything and everything. They talked about their missions. They talked about the past. They talked about friendships. They talked about relationships.

At first, the Uzumaki was wary to talk about the feelings that he had towards all the females in his life. He talked about how he had been so madly in love with Sakura that it hurt him to hear that Sasuke didn't feel the same. She truly was amazing but she had her faults. He delved into the time that Sasuke was gone from the Village. He told him of how he had held out as long as he could with Sakura before finally giving up. He detailed the years that followed when he was with the Hyuuga, trying to force himself to believe that they were in love. Then he spoke of the Yamanaka, how she had changed over the years. How she had easily welcomed him into her arms and heart. How she made the most amazing food, sometimes it was even better than his beloved Ramen. How he had fallen in love with her before he even realized it. How Kurama knew before him (the bastard Fox) that he had feelings for the Mind Walker. How she took his breath away with all the compassion and love that she gave to him and those around them. How her temper got on his nerves but she always apologized. How, sometimes, she cared more about her flowers than herself. How she had this annoying habit of being unable to let go of past mistakes. How he hated the smell of the face masks that she claimed were good for her skin type.

He knew that he could talk about all of her perfections and flaws if he was given the chance but the Uchiha had stopped him mid ramble to let him know that he got the point. He felt himself flush in embarrassment and chuckled nervously, though he winced in pain at the cut on his stomach. They both decided that today had been rather successful, there was no more tension between them. However, he made the Uchiha promise that he would tell Sakura soon or else they would have a different kind of outcome to their spar. The humor left the Uchiha's face and he nodded his head and hummed in reassurance. They both knew that there would only be more pain if he held off any longer.

Leaving the Uchiha to figure out himself, Naruto headed back to into the Village, most of his wounds healing as he went, thanks to Kurama. His thoughts were led back to the blonde woman that was constantly on his mind, as of late. She had left shortly after their last conversation, she had had a huge order for flowers and a wedding to attend (he found out with a little help by bribing some of Ino's close friends). He had wanted to set things straight with her immediately, but he supposed that her time away had allowed him to sort out his own emotions. He could confidently say that he had feelings for her, hell, he was in love with her. That was why he had had those restless feelings and why Kurama seemed so full of mirth (spiteful thing, that Fox). He didn't know how long he had had these feelings, they could have been there forever but now they were starting to bloom in full force. It was a strange feeling, in all honesty. He knew the love of a family and of friends, but intimately it was new to him. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He wasn't sure how to approach her, now that he had hit his moment of clarity.

"Naruto?!"

Well, that was one way.

He blinked, looking around at his surroundings. He had unknowingly found his way to the front of the Yamanaka Flower Shop while he was in his thoughts. Cerulean eyes glanced over to his left, widening for a fraction of a second before he cleared his throat. There, in the flesh, was the woman of his desires. It seemed as if she had just returned from her time away from the Village by her formal attire. A sleeveless white blouse covered her torso which was neatly tucked into a long black skirt, fitting her form like a second skin. Her hair was let down from her usual ponytail, cascading down her back and the tips brushing against the back of her knees.

"What the hell happened to you," she asked in concern, immediately running over to him, her eyes surveying the damage.

"Oh...uhh…" He let out a laugh as he rubbed the back of his head with one hand and the other scratching his cheek gently. "Sasuke and I got into a fight."

She rolled her eyes immediately, taking hold of his hand and leading him around to the backside of her place. She was muttering under her breath how stupid men were as she unlocked the door and practically dragged him upstairs. "I-Ino, I'm fine," he said in a feeble manner to protest her actions as she shove him onto her couch and proceeded to heal him.

"What did you two argue about this time," the Yamanaka asked, ignoring his prior statement.

It was weird. The air was weird between them, he could sense it. He was sure that she was still adamantly avoiding him, much like last time but she had so casually spoken to him as if nothing had happened. He found himself easily responding to her question, telling her that he had to force the Uchiha to tell him about Sakura, oh and of course he won the spar. He watched her lips curl into a smile as she responded to his tale, telling him that he was so reckless when it came to his friends while she continued to heal his minor bruises and cuts. That he could have seriously been hurt, if the two men had decided to brawl without holding back. He felt his heart well up with a familiar emotion, realizing that she wasn't trying to ignore her feelings. That she was openly expressing herself to him, since they were alone.

She sat down, resting her weight on her knees, as she moved to heal the bruises and cuts on his chest, her Mystic Palm felt more comforting than Granny Tsunade's and Sakura's combined. The concern that had been etched into her features had long ago faded away, replaced with a look of content, as she watched him being healed. She shifted, trying to get a better position, though the skirt was a bit restrictive. He sighed happily feeling the warmth of her healing Chakra seep into the side of his face, as she cupped his swollen jaw. His hand fell over hers as she healed the bruise, her eyes flickered up into his. A slender brow raised in question.

"Ino, about the other day, I wanted to tell you that…" He felt his heart flutter rapidly and his throat run dry. He felt his resolve to tell her how he felt falter as his courage began to run out. It was just...she just...looked so beautiful. Too beautiful. His doubts about her returning his feelings began to fill his mind. Although Hinata had suggested that Ino was in love with him as well, he was unsure. He cleared his throat, trying to find his words. He was never good at speaking though. He reached out the tuck her bangs behind her ear. "It's just that I-I…"

"I already told you, Naruto, I can't be friends with you," she stated gently, her eyes looking away from him, her head dropping slightly. "It isn't possible for me."

That was when he understood. Previously, her words had confused and stunned him. He had been unsure why she would say such things, but he realized what she had meant. She couldn't be friends with him...because she...He couldn't stop the grin the touched his lips, causing him to chuckle slightly. He knew that he caught the Yamanaka off guard with his laugh, her head snapping up to glare at him. His grip around her hand tightened and he looked into her confused and mildly annoyed eyes. He spread open his legs, his other hand snaking around her lower back, to pull her closer. Leaning his head down, he rested his forehead against hers, rubbing affectionately against her.

"I'm not asking to be friends, Ino," he muttered gently.

Her eyes widened as she gazed up at him, he pulled away slightly to watch her reaction. A blush crept up from her collarbones, painting across her cheeks and nose, all the way up to lightly dust the tips of her ears. He could see her mind spinning and turning as she processed the words that he said. Her lips parted as she took a sharp intake of breath. She blinked a few times as the realization settled and the blush began to fade away. Her tongue slid out, wetting her lips as she cleared her throat slightly. Her eyes gazed into his and they stared at one another. The silence was pleasant, as if they were sharing this moment together, their minds as one.

"I swear to God, Naruto," she breathed out, her warm breath fanning across his lips and chin. "If you don't kiss me soon, I'll-"

Her threat was never finished as he leaned down to gently place his lips over hers. Her eyes fluttered close immediately, as her wish had been granted. She sighed into the kiss, enjoying the feeling of his lips over her own. It was short lived however as he pulled away and she slowly opened her eyes, gazing up at him. They looked at one another for an instant before the blonde woman moved closer to him, this time she initiated the kiss. The arm around her waist pulled her closer to him, causing her hands to rest on his chest. His other hand cupped her face gently, tilting her head back in order to deepen the kiss. Her lips parted and he gained access to her mouth, their tongues meeting and battling for dominance. Her hands slowly moved up from their resting spot on his chest, sliding into his hair slowly and gripping his soft locks. When she nibbled on his lower lip, he let out a small growl and he could her the small chuckle that left her.

The feeling of her body pressed up against him sent a wildfire rushing throughout his body from head to toe. He groaned as he wanted to feel more of her against him. He knew this feeling all too well. He knew that this was what he should have felt when kissing the Hyuuga. He knew that there were only certain reasons why he felt this with only Ino. He knew that this was partially because he had lusted after her (like any normal human being) and that he had true feelings for the blonde in his arms and she had feelings for him as well. It was an amazing feeling.

"My my," she purred out, sending shivers down his spine. "We haven't even had our first date."

He blinked pulling away from her, realizing that their position was different from when they first began kissing. She was gazing up from beneath him with hooded eyes the shimmered like rolling waves, her hair was in disarray around her. There were red marks littering her collarbone, her lipstick smudged and one side of her blouse was falling off her shoulder. He felt his face heat up with embarrassment and shame, not wanting her to think that he was simply trying to undress her. She propped herself on her elbows, pulling up the strap of her blouse and she brushed back the bangs that fell in front of her eyes. A coy grin was on her lips as she breathed heavily.

"You've got something," she murmured, wiping away the lipstick at the corner of his mouth. "There you go."

"Ino, I'm sorry, I-I didn't-"

A slender finger pressed firmly against his lips and she shook her head, as if reassuring him that she had been fine with what had happened. "It's fine, I promise." She smiled gently as they removed themselves from one another. They sat side by side on the couch, Ino leaning against him and his arm around her shoulders. It was familiar and she smiled to herself. "You know, just because we kissed doesn't mean that you get to skip the wooing stages of this relationship. I expect dates and presents." She smiled as she heard him chuckle, his hand tightening its grip around her shoulder. "And I also expect you to properly ask me to be your girlfriend. You've got your work cut out for you, Naruto."

"It'll be worth it." He stated in a matter-of-fact tone that caused her to feel embarrassed, which she wasn't used to. She swatted at his chest, laughing gently. Knowing herself, she would probably get impatient with the courting stages, after all, she had been waiting for this moment for a while now but she was a hopeless romantic. She just wanted to experience what she had wished for as a child and what she longed for throughout her teenage years. She wanted to enjoy this moment a little longer, but she knew that even she, would easily lose her self-control if they stayed like this.

"Alright, how about I make dinner. I'm sure you're hungry after that fight," the blonde woman stated, while getting up from the couch. She tossed a look at him from over her shoulder. "I'll make anything you'd like."

The Uzumaki beamed brightly and he crossed his arms over his chest, in thought. He opened his mouth to reply to her but a tap on her window caused him to not respond. She walked over to the window, opening it. A scroll was handed between them and she bowed as she turned. "Looks like dinner will have to wait," she said with mild disappointment as she handed the scroll over to the man sitting on her couch.

"They always have the worst timing," he muttered, taking hold of the scroll. With a flick of his thumb, he popped open the seal, his eyes scanning over the contents before he let out a sigh.

"How long will you be gone," Ino asked, leaning against the counter in her kitchen.

"Just a few days. We leave tonight." He replied, another sigh leaving him. He was sad that he wouldn't be able to eat her food (Kurama too). He got up from the couch, smoothing out his clothes and he walked over to the Yamanaka. She looked at him with gentle eyes, her fingers reaching out to brush his hair from his eyes before they caressed the side of his face gently.

"Be safe or else," she muttered in a mock threat.

He chuckled gently. "Always." He leaned down, giving her a chaste kiss, knowing if he kissed her any longer, he wouldn't leave. "I'll come see you first thing when I get back, okay?"

She scrunched her nose slightly, a devious grin touching her lips. "Take a shower first, it's bad enough that you're filthy now, I don't want your stench to mess with the plants."

His hand touched his chest as he feigned being hurt by her words and she rolled her eyes, nudging him away from her. "Go on," she said with a gentle laugh.

"Right." He leaned back in, giving her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll be back soon, Ino!" He moved to head down the stairs but paused, looking at her from over the shoulder. "Oh and you look really beautiful like that!"

"Leave!" She exclaimed with a laugh, shooing him away with a flick of her hands. He called out his farewell as he bounded down the stairs. She let out a sigh as she heard the door close. Running a hand through her hair, she felt her face heating up. "Idiot," she murmured under her breath, biting her lower lip gently.

But he was her idiot.

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Kiss My Lips by BoA**

 **And there you have it! The confession we all have been waiting for, well not really a confession but it's close enough. I can really imagine them having a really...hmmm...happy relationship. Like I can see them playing around and doing pranks on one another. Also, they would joke around a lot too. Yeah, that's how I see their relationship. Also, they get really steamy, like boiling water in a kettle steamy. That was a bad analogy. XD Anyways, I don't really have too much to explain for this chapter, I used the outfit that Ino wore at the NaruHina wedding in The Last, cause she looked GORGEOUS! That is all. I hope you all enjoyed the eighth installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Feedback is appreciated and thanks for reading! - Tinyraver**


	9. Take My Breath Away

_**AN: More housekeeping in this chapter and we can set sail! Thank you for all the love and the reviews that you all have given me! I really appreciate it! This is definitely not the usual story that I do, so I worried that many of you (who have read my other stories) wouldn't like it! Haha! Anyways, relationship established and some fluffy things ahead. Then we can finish up this story! Thanks for being on this journey with me! I hope you enjoy this chapter and happy reading~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Violence, Language and Sexual Themes.**_

 _ **Legend: Italics for Flashbacks.**_

* * *

 **009 Take My Breath Away**

* * *

In the weeks that had passed by, Yamanaka Ino found herself in a very good mood. After she and the Uzumaki had revealed their feelings for one another, things had been going a lot more smoothly in her life. It wasn't always rainbows and sunshine for them because they both that had easily ignited tempers but they made it work out when they argued. While he had been away on his mission and involving himself more with his Hokage Training, she had to deal with many things, one important event was dealing with a heartbroken best friend. It seemed as if after their spar, Sasuke had mustered up the balls to tell Sakura his true feelings for her. What a night that had been.

 _She had just wrapped up an intense day of training at the T &I Department and she was in a great need in of a long soak in the bathtub and maybe a drink to wash away the vile feeling that was in her mind. She tugged at the end of her ponytail, ignoring the pain it added to the headache that was beginning to form. A heavy sigh left her as she rolled and popped her neck and shoulders, knowing that she would get a well deserved night's sleep. Blinking, she glanced over at the dark shadows that were casted over her home. There was a figure sitting in front of her shop, their limbs tangled up in one another. The sound of them sniffling was picked up by her highly trained ears. The blonde felt her stomach sink slowly and she moved a bit faster to get to her place._

 _Sakura._

 _The Medic had been sitting there since her shift had been relieved from the Hospital, waiting for the blonde to come home. The Yamanaka quickly scooped the silent woman off the ground, pulling her inside after unlocking the door. She brought the woman up to her apartment, placing her on the couch. The pink haired woman was silent for a very long time until Ino brought her a cup of warm tea. Sakura had held onto the tea, staring into the murky liquid before tears began to fall from her eyes. The blonde knew what this was about but she knew that she couldn't say anything. She just needed to listen to her friend._

 _Through the tears, Sakura explained what had happened between her and the Uchiha. She went through many stages of emotions as she continued to talk about their conversation. She stated how she had a feeling that maybe the Uchiha couldn't return her feelings but she had loved him for so long. She had cared about him for all these years. She had had faith that he would return to the Village She had hoped that her love for him would be able to fill that void of darkness that was within him. She had hoped and prayed for so many things for the Uchiha and herself and to find out that the return of her love amounted to that of a sibling, it stung. No, it hurt like Hell, like the fiery pits of Hell opened inside of her chest, burning her alive from the inside out._

 _Ino could only nod and rub the back of the Medic, knowing that this day would have come sooner or later. She felt guilty, knowing of the Uchiha's feelings for such a long time and being unable to prepare her friend for the heartbreak that she was now facing. They stayed up into the wee hours of the morning as Ino tried her best to help Sakura cope and mourn. They had even gone down the stairs and Ino created a dummy so that the pink haired woman could punch out her frustrations and agony. It had worked for a few minutes before the dummy was obliterated. The blonde couldn't help but laugh as the dummy exploded into a poof of smoke and her laughter had caused the Medic to join as well, before she fell into sobs of despair. Ino quickly rushed to her side, gently coaxing her back inside, where the emotionally drained woman collapsed onto her bed, falling into a deep slumber._

 _Ino watched her from the doorway, a frown tugging on her lips. The scene was familiar but guilt was in the blonde's heart. Had she have known of the Uchiha's feelings, she wouldn't have tried to put them together. She wouldn't have tried to get Sakura's hopes and dreams up. How was she to have known better? The only ones that cared deeply for the Uchiha was the Uzumaki and Sakura. It had only made sense to try to put them together at the time. She knew that she was judging the Uchiha too harshly, she knew that deep down, he had tried to return those feelings, but it had been impossible for him. She only wished that Sakura's love for him wasn't so potent, then this would be easier to get over for her. Letting out a sigh, she turned away from her bedroom door, closing it behind her. Running her fingers through her hair, she would just have to be at her side until she recovered._

After that night, the Yamanaka would keep a cautious eye on the Medic, helping her when she sensed that the woman would crumble. She knew that it would take a long time for those wounds to heal and she could only be there to comfort her when needed. Still, she was relieved that the Uchiha had finally said something to the pink haired woman. It was far too long and drawn out of the process, which probably caused the confession to sting even more. However, it was done and now both of them could finally move on with their lives. It was the best for both of them. and she knew that they would find their happiness soon enough.

Perhaps she was being overly optimistic, seeing how things have worked out for her. For so long, she had pined for the Uzumaki's affection and love, now she was comfortably able to express her feelings for him. As much as she liked to think that she wanted to take her time with him, it wasn't long before they made their relationship had thrown those ideas of courting and wooing out the window after their third date, when he asked her to become his girlfriend. She happily agreed because she had waited for so long for this moment and she didn't want to ruin anything. It was obvious that they both wanted to be together, so why wait any further?

However, it wasn't as if they openly flaunted their newly established relationship in front of everyone. Some days, they would walked through the Village, holding hands and giggling like two idiots when either of them made a joke. Other days, there wouldn't be a single sign involving public display of affection. It caught many of their friends off guard to see how close they had become, they were an unlikely pair. When asked, they would confirm other people's suspicions but that was simply it. They were happy with how things were going with them, despite the mundane arguments about if they should or shouldn't eat Ramen that night. It wasn't like Ino didn't enjoy Ichiraku, she just knew that they (she and Kurama) couldn't survive on eating Ramen all the time.

They continued to go about how they normally did prior to their relationship, however, the Uzumaki would often spend the night at her apartment, the first few weeks sleeping on the couch, before Ino graciously extended an invitation to her bed (only because he complained of a sore neck, that's all). She often got scolded by the Nara, saying that they were moving too fast and their flames would die down soon but she ignored him. He didn't understand what went on between them, there was this unseen connection shared between them. Since the time they first meet, a bond had formed and it had only grown stronger and thicker. She liked to be a hopeless romantic, claiming that it was the Red String of Fate that allowed to finally be with one another. The Shadow User would groan an exhale of smoke when she began to go on a tangent about love, knowing that she was only doing it to get on his nerves.

She knew that he was only worried that she would get hurt in the end, like she had when she was younger but this was the Uzumaki they were speaking of. And she was a Yamanaka, there was no reason for them to do anything half-assed. That was not the way they worked. They either put their all into a task or they didn't at all. That was how she knew they would work, even if they had different ideals, they wouldn't give up easily. So she reassured the Nara that everything would be alright, even inviting him out to dinner with them, to show that they complimented one another.

She hadn't heard him worry over them after that night.

* * *

"Since when did we get these in stock?"

She glanced over at the Uzumaki, who was currently holding a bin full of their new inventory. "Oh!" She exclaimed with a small smile, hurrying over to him. She lifted the lid of the bin he was holding, eyeing the flora and closed it. "This isn't for the store, this is for my personal garden."

"You have a personal garden?" The blonde male asked, raising a brow.

She rolled her eyes slightly. "Honestly, with all the time you spend here, you haven't noticed?" Shaking her head, she motioned for him to follow her. A small smile was on her lips, enjoying the way her referred to the inventory that the Shop received as _theirs_. It had a nice ring to it, in her opinion. Besides, he had been putting just as much effort into keeping the place running when he could. If she was called away for a mission, she would find him behind the counter, helping customers, when she returned. It was nice to have someone to come home to after a long mission. It had been years since she had last felt that feeling, since her father was no longer around. The first time she had come home to find him waiting for her, she nearly teared up at the sight. He had spent most of the night tending to the gReenhouse, making sure all the plants and flowers were getting their proper water and sunlight. When he welcomed her home, she had been enveloped in such a feeling that she rushed to hold him in her arms. She wasn't sure if he knew it, but his words had meant the world to her.

"But how do you have time to have your own garden, Ino," the Uzumaki questioned. "Aren't you overworking yourself?"

She waved off his concern as they walked past the Greenhouse and she unlatched the lock of a small gate. She brushed away the vines that fell, revealing a quaint little sanctuary. "This is my other pride and joy," she said with a grin. "It's not much but it holds a few of favorite flowers."

He was in awe at how small, yet beautiful the garden was. In the center, there was a small pond. The surface rippled, showing that there was lifeforms beneath the water. To each side of the pond, there was a plot of flowers, varying in colors and size. She was correct, the garden was small and simple, but he could feel the devotion and love put into the place. "This garden was made for me when I was little," Ino murmured gently, walking forward. "My father built it for me and I learned how to take care of plants from here. It's very...important to me, so that's why I keep it."

He nodded his head in understanding, following behind her slowly. He knew that she had been extremely close to her father, she would always joke that she had been spoiled rotten by him. He could see the sadness in her eyes when she spoke about him. He knew the main reason why she kept the Shop open was solely for the memory of her father. He knew that she still grieved and mourned for the loss, although it had been two years since he had passed. To lose a family member, he understood that feeling all too well, as he still mourned for Jiraiya. He watched as a shudder rolled through, knowing that she was thinking of her father. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him.

"I know that Inoichi would love your garden," he said gently.

She rested a hand on top of his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, Naruto." Taking in a deep breath, she took the bin he had been holding out of his hands. She knelt down beside the pond, gently placing the water loving plants into the pond. Once she was finished, she tossed some food into the pond, watching fondly as the fish ate away. He felt like this place was sacred to her, it held many memories for her and her father. He was honored that she would show it to him but he felt like he was imposing on old memories. Moving behind her, he nudged her gently.

"Come on, we still have a lot of inventory to do."

She smiled at him and nodded her head. Standing up, she followed behind him as he led them out of her garden. Taking one final look, she closed and locked the gate behind them. Walking back into the Greenhouse, she shook off the depressing feelings. She was glad that she had someone like Naruto to rescue her from those dark thoughts. She would normally spend a large portion of her time in that place, weeping over the things that she had lost. She knew that Naruto understood her feelings but it was nice to know that he wouldn't allow her to be consumed by those thoughts.

They went back to working diligently to place all that needed to be stored away, before milling around the store, making sure their numbers were correct. Hopefully, with the festival coming up, they would get more business. They would be celebrating the day that the World War had ended, meaning that Naruto would be the center of attention (much to her dismay). As much as she knew that her significant other was a huge factor as to why the War ended, she couldn't stand those fangirls. She couldn't believe that she was like that in her youth, it was a cringe worthy memory. The Uzumaki would sometimes reenact how she and Sakura would fight over the Uchiha. It always ended with her in a fit of laughter, as he would use his Clones to make a grand event of it all. She was glad that she was able to laugh about her younger self, instead of despising how she used to be.

"Will you have time to walk around with me at the Festival, Mister Hero?" She teased out, while flipping the sign from **Open** to **Closed**.

There was an audible groan from the back room and she couldn't help but laugh. Walking towards the back room, she was met with a sour expression that was on the Uzumaki's face. She laughed once more, pinching his nose slightly. "Do you have to call me a Hero," he whined in a nasally tone, while she pinched his nose.

"But you are our big strong Hero," Ino teased more, grabbing his hand and leading him upstairs.

"It's...It's just weird being called that, especially by my girlfriend." He whined, as he allowed himself to be lead up into her apartment.

Well, it was sort of _their_ apartment now.

He had a few of his things around her place, like his Gamakichi-esque pillows and there was even a stuffed frog toy resting on the coffee table. It hadn't been long into their relationship, that he had been staying over and leaving behind miscellaneous items. It didn't seem like Ino minded too much either, seeing how she would just look at his frog themed belongings with an amused gaze before walking away. For Naruto, it felt nice to come home to her place and not his shoddy apartment. For him, it was nice to have someone greet him when he came through the back door. He knew that he was probably getting ahead of himself but he wouldn't mind coming home to a family either. He often flushed at those kinds of thoughts but he knew better than to think about it in front of the Mind Walker. She could easily read him like a book and he didn't want to scare her off with thoughts of the future, as much as he would like her in it.

"Hush now," she chided gently. "You'll be getting called Hero here in a few months, might as well get you used to it, that way you don't cringe every time you hear it." She waved her hand aimlessly as she moved away from him. "Besides, in a few years everyone will be calling you Lord Naruto or the Seventh."

He stuck his tongue out at her as she went into the kitchen, pulling out different bowls and appliances. She was right, he would have to get used to titles eventually, it just felt weird. He leaned his elbows on the Island just across from the counter that she was currently stocking with meats, vegetables and dishwares. He watched as she quietly chopped up the vegetables with deft hands, a small hum leaving her. He could definitely get used to days like these, when they could spend time with one another, not worrying about missions or responsibilities. "Say Ino," he called out. She hummed in acknowledgement, as she pushed away the onions she had diced up and went to work on some peppers. "Will you call me Lord Naruto when I become Hokage?"

She paused, setting down her knife as she went into deep thought. After a while, she chuckled and began to cut up the food before her. "I shall call you Lord Naruto, in a professional setting, when you are being watched with political and harsh stares." She moved the peppers aside and began to cut up a leafy vegetable ('cabbage you idiot,' Ino would later tease him) that made his nose scrunch up. "I shall call you Uzumaki, when you push my buttons a little too far and you will be facing my wrath later." He watched as she smiled gently and a pink blush dusted her cheeks. "I shall call you Naruto, when your ego gets too big and you need to be brought back down to Earth. I shall call you Naruto, when you come home after a long day and you need to shed your responsibilities as Hokage. I shall call you Naruto, when we lay in bed and when we indulge in one another. I shall call you Naruto, to help wake you from sleep and to ease you to slumber. And I shall call you Naruto, to let you know how much you mean to me."

There it was again, she had this amazing ability to suck the air right out of his lungs. To make him feel like he didn't know how to breathe. To make him feel like he was floating in the air, without a way to come down. This was the vulnerability that he had been craving from her, only wanting his eyes to see this side of her. This vulnerability that she expressed astounded him in ways he knew he would never be able to understand. She caught him off guard, like she normally did, with the way she so easily and confidently spoke of her feelings for him. Was this what she had been hiding from him for so long? Were these the true feelings that she had been waiting to express to him? He knew he was correct. It wasn't like she had changed much since they began their relationship but he could see the feelings that she had been working hard to keep a secret. Without the fear of being rejected or the guilt of betraying a friend of hers, she openly was able to show him how she felt about him. It was obvious that he was experiencing her love full bloom now and it knocked him off his feet.

Now, that was the only that he could see this, for love was a new concept. Although, he had spent plenty of time with the Pervy Sage, he had only learned so much from his Mentor. He understood that love ran deeper than lust, he understood that love was something that was built over time and it last a lifetime. He had learned from the time with his parents, that love was unconditional and complicated but also worth all the feelings that were involved. He understood love caused reactions within his body. With his parents, he felt an overwhelming about of joy swell up within his chest, he could feel the tears that were just a blink away. With his comrades and friends, he felt their pain and their sorrow. He felt their happiness and the vitality that was within them. With Ino, he felt...he felt that he was suspended in water, the current tossing him this and that direction. He was constantly spinning, possibly drowning, in these bubbling emotions, ones that were hard to differentiate. Was this love? Was this lust? Questions upon questions piled up within his mind, causing him to be uncertain of his actions for he had never experienced this before.

Despite being in this submerged state of uncertainty, he felt this gravitational pull towards the Yamanaka. There was a warmth that mesmerized him, a light that blinded him. Her feelings were that of his parents' and comrades' but the intensity was on another level. What she offered and allowed him to see was so powerful that he often doubted their relationship. Was he worthy enough for such affections? Was this going to last as long as he hoped? Would she ever tire of him and his antics? Daily, she proved his mind's doubts wrong, simply accepting him for who he was, despite the occasional tease. Maybe he was just feeling what he imagined love would be like, until the reality of it at settled in. Once again, doubts shrouded his mind. Were they simply living in a fairytale? Or was this what reality was like? All his life, he had been scorned and looked down upon. He knew that he had to make a huge impact in other people's' lives in order to make them see him in a different light. He knew that he had milestones and hurdles to leap over in order to feel like he belonged. He tried to be optimistic all throughout his growing years, but there had been a darkness in his heart. A place that said that no matter what he tried, he would never be enough. Nothing that he did mattered. What did he have that would guarantee his success? His failure? But he had hope, clung so desperately to it. He had people there who looked past what he was and what he was called. They had given him the strength and determination to continue on with his ways and his decisions.

Watching the way she spoke now, he had no doubt that this was anything other than reality. He could hear the sincerity in her tone, the shy intonations that filtered through her voice. He could see that she was confident in her words though mildly embarrassed for revealing such thoughts. In that moment, he knew her feelings, the resounded within his chest like the pounding beat of his heart. In that moment, he understood that this was, indeed, the reality of love. Moving around the Island, he took hold of her hand, causing her to place it on the countertop. He immediately pulled her into a kiss, relishing in the pleased sigh that left her. The kiss itself was languid in motion but the passion behind it left a desirable heat through his body. Pulling away, he stared down at the woman within his grasp. Her eyes stared up at him in curiosity and he smirked gently.

"Say Ino," he muttered breathlessly.

"Hmmm?" She hummed, a small smile curling the corners of her lips.

"I love you."

Her eyes widened at the sudden confession and she pulled away from him slightly, raising a brow. They stared at one another, her eyes searching his for absolution. She felt her stomach sink slightly and her heart rise into her throat. She wondered if he understood the weight of those words and the effect that they had on her. How long had she been waiting for him to say such things? How long had she imagined a scene full of gaudy glamour that he would profess his love to her (certainly not in the dimly lit kitchen of hers)? How long had she envied those other women, who had caught his attention and his heart, wondering if he said these same words? She felt her knees grow weak and her hands clutched the front of his shirt. A sudden fear filled her, was this too soon? Was this the start of their relationship dying into a low ember? "How can you be so sure," she questioned immediately.

He shrugged his shoulders slightly, a cheeky grin coming to his lips. "I just do," he replied in a matter of fact tone.

"Say it again," she breathed out.

"I love you." He said with a gentle chuckle.

"Again," she whispered, her voice growing hoarse.

"I love you," he replied easily, kissing her forehead gently. "I love the way you smell like fresh flowers daily. I love the way you smile at me. I love the way you always cook dinner for me." He moved his lips to kiss her cheeks. "I love the way you drive me crazy about you. I love the way you love your friends. I love the big heart you have." He murmured across her skin, kissing down to her jawline. "I love that you love me for who I am, flaws and all. I love that you accepted me into your heart. I love you for existing in my life." He moved away from her jawline, staring down into her watery hues. "Most of all, I love you for you." He ended his ramble by giving her a gentle kiss on her lips.

She laughed, causing the the kiss to be interrupted. She brushed away the tears that were in her eyes. "I love you too, Naruto."

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Take My Breath Away by Berlin**

 **I was going to make him say "Believe it." BUT! I thought that would kill the mood lolololol. Holy moly, the sap level in this chapter is so sweet. Like I was grinning like an idiot when I was writing this. What can I say, I am a hopeless romantic. Anyways, I wanted to do something really sweet and fluffy with them, after all this time of waiting. I will say, that yes they said I love you pretty early in their relationship, but if you have loved someone for a long time, I think it's okay. Also, foreshadowing for the future babies. ;3 Anyways, I believe there will be a few more chapters left in this story, seeing how this is a light hearted story and there isn't any like villain or anything. I hope you all enjoyed the ninth installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Feedback is appreciated and thanks for reading! -Tinyraver**


	10. Every Other Freckle

_**AN: I want to apologize, I'm late on uploading because I'm in between switching desktops. My new one doesn't have sound yet, so it's hard for me to write/edit without music you for all the reviews and the wishes of what should happen in the final chapter. I assure you all, that it will satisfy you! Haha. Anyways, I really do believe that the story will be ending soon, since the initial plot (if there was one at all) was to have them fall in love, get together, and fly off into the sunset. xD I'll probably post a chapter or two after this one, but for now, thank you all for this journey and I hoped you enjoyed it! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter and happy reading~**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Language, Violence and Sexual Themes.**_

 _ **Legend: Italics for Things.**_

* * *

 **010 Every Other Freckle**

* * *

It was frustrating how busy she had become, thanks to the impending arrival of the Festival. She would bury herself in her work, making sure that there would be enough floral arrangements to decorate the Centre of the Village. She would take her time with each arrangement, spending several hours on each of them, making sure everything was perfect. He had to say that he was impressed by her eye for minute details, but he was also frustrated. Despite the fact that they were in a relationship and officially living with one another, he was barely able to see her this past week. He had his obligations to attend all meetings that were in the Hokage Tower due to his training for becoming the Seventh, as well as, because the Festival was to celebrate the end of the World War, where he was a focal point. He would leave early in the morning and come home late in the evening, where either Ino would still be immersed in her work or sleeping on the couch, too tired to make it to their bedroom. At times, he would have to forcefully take her away from her work, when it was too late into the night, tossing her over his shoulder and taking her upstairs, ignoring her protests. He knew that she wanted to make sure everything was done the day of the Festival, so she could enjoy it and he felt guilty because he couldn't be there to help her (he sent Clones, but she dispelled them when they got on her nerves). So he tried his best to support her from afar, like she had always done for him.

That being said, he grumbled under his breath for the umpteenth time, wishing that the meeting that he was sitting in would hurry up and finish. It was his sixth morning today and he could feel his patience slipping away. All he wanted to do was go home to his girlfriend and well...a perverted giggle left him as he sat there daydreaming about the blonde woman that occupied his mind. His daydream was cut short as an elbow nudged into his side and he snapped out of his daze, a pout on his lips. It was the best part! She was laying there nude with a bowl of Ramen and-

"Uzumaki," the Nara's voice cut into his thoughts once more.

He blinked and looked over at the unamused expression that was on the Shadow User's face. "Eh? What is it?"

There was a mutter of a complaint that was under Shikamaru's breath and he pinched the bridge of his nose. He was beginning to wonder if he truly wanted to be his right hand man at this point. "We need to go meet the Delegates from the Sand, as well as greet the Kazekage."

"Oh! Gaara is here," he exclaimed, reaching out his senses throughout the Village. "Why didn't you tell me?"

There was an audible groan that left the Nara as he shook his head. "That was what this entire meeting was about, Uzumaki."

He let out a laugh of embarrassment a she rubbed the back of his head. "My bad, Shikamaru."

The Shadow User simply rolled his eyes, wondering how Ino dealt with him, but he supposed love worked in mysterious ways. He motioned for the future Hokage to follow him as the stood up to leave the Conference Room. He was still surprised at how long their relationship had lasted, knowing that both of them let their emotions influence them easily. Then again, he supposed that they balanced one another out. Ino had a very logical approach to things (most of the time) and Naruto seemed to listen to her (most of the time). More than anything, the two of them together were a lot of trouble. He remembered the prank that they had pulled on Kakashi, which he was sure that Kakashi had just been indulging in their childish antics. He remembered when he and Chouji had given the Uzumaki a few conditions when he had announced that he was dating his female teammate. It was to be expected, as they had all grown up with one another and Naruto seemed to understand where they were coming from. He had no doubts that he would love Ino right. Still, it was only normal for him to be concerned, he had seen the blonde woman heartbroken far too many times. He smirked to himself, knowing that he was probably too pessimistic (or mature) to understand their ways. But as long as they were happy then he was willing to indulge in their antics, as well.

After meeting up with the Sand Delegates and the Kazekage, they spent the majority of the day catching up with their longtime allies. Even though he knew that the Kazekage wasn't much of a conversationalist, it seemed that the Uzumaki could easily get the redhead to speak. Temari would often praise Naruto's positive effect that he had on her younger sibling. He was never sure if he was jealous hearing her dote about the Uzumaki or if it was simply how he was. Perhaps she noticed the frown that was on his lips, teasing him of his jealousy. He would simply roll his eyes and ignore that glimmer of mischief in her teal eyes. But the more that he thought about it, Naruto seemed to have a positive effect on everyone. That was why he wanted to support him and to become his right hand man when he became Hokage. He knew that the blonde male would make a great Hokage.

He smirked once more as he watched the blonde interact with the Sand.

It was becoming later into the evening, which meant that the Festival would be starting soon. As much as he would have liked to go home and get ready with Ino, he had been dragged away to receive a proper yukata. He groaned and complained throughout the entire session, as everyone watched him get measured and fitted properly. Then there was the process of what colors would go well with one another. He wasn't sure how women could go through all of this, it was so boring and taxing on the mind. Especially since he had to look presentable for the Village and everyone else who was watching him with expectant eyes. It was decided that he would wear a black yukata, designed with pale orange strips, with a gold and blue tie around his waist. They had turned down (much to his dismay) the bright orange one that had called to him. He pouted as Shikamaru went through the (troublesome) task of finding a better color.

After the fitting, they all went out for dinner and as much he didn't mind the company, he was slowly becoming even more frustrated. He had promised that he would spend time with Ino during the Festival and with it only starting in roughly an hour, he had yet to see her all day. He jumped slightly, as a jolt of electricity went down his spine. Memories popped into his head, before a grin settled on his lips. It seemed that the Yamanaka was thinking of the same thing, as his Clone had been dispelled.

 _She was staring at him with a gentle smile, a towel wrapped around her hair and body. She walked closer to the him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "Be sure to meet me tonight," she muttered under her breath. She gave him a gentle kiss, before the image of her faded away._

Ah, his Clone was so lucky to have received that kiss. He pouted slightly, wishing that he could actually feel the kiss that she had given, only his imagination could take him so far. And she was wearing a towel! Oh how he truly wished he had been there. Sure, he had seen her walk around in her undergarments or no clothing at all, but still he liked to be around when she did. The image of her body was forever seared into his mind. He could still remember the first time that they have been intimate with one another, a cheeky grin came to his face as he relived that moment in his mind. Once again, an elbow was nudged into his side and he grumbled under his breath, tossing a glare at the Shadow User. The other male simply snorted slightly, as they returned to eating.

Once dinner was over, they headed into the Centre of the Village, as dusk casted its darkness in the sky and the lanterns illuminated the streets, casting an ethereal orange glow. It was slowly the beginning of a phase of being uncomfortable for him. People came up to him, greeting and praising him and he humbly accepted their gratitude, while reminding them that he wasn't the only Hero. Cerulean hues would gaze through the crowd, looking for the woman he wanted to see more than anyone. He could feel her Chakra signature but everytime he would try to get close, he would feel it shift. He almost wondered if she was trying to play a game with him or if she was distracted by all the vendors. He recalled a memory of her saying that it was rare that she went to Festivals, given how taxing decorating it could be on her physically. He grinned, knowing that she was probably enjoying the games with Sakura, before meeting up with him. So he tried his best to keep himself busy with the people that swarming around him but he was nearly at his limit after half an hour. He was now thinking of ways to disappear or maybe he should make a Clone and use that so he could spend time with Ino. He had been so lost in thought, that he hadn't realized that his group had walked away from him. He didn't realize that his significant other was slowly making her way towards him until slender hands gripped his sides, giving him a firm squeeze.

"Naruto," she purred out, a grin on her painted red lips.

"Ino!" He exclaimed, jumping from the ticklish feeling on his sides, turning around to face her. He took in her appearance. She left her hair down (the way he liked it)and it spilled over her shoulder in a river of gold. Her body was covered with a deep purple Yukata, decorating with varying shades of red and pink flowers. A gold and bronze Obi was tied around her waist, tied in an intricate bow in the back. There was a small bag tied around her wrist, while the other one carried a fan.

"What is it?" She asked with a teasing grin.

He placed his hands on her shoulder, a firm nod coming from him. "I have the most beautiful girlfriend in all of the World."

A melodic laugh left her as her hand rested gently on her chest. It was definitely like him to say something like that. When her laughter died down, she leaned up on her toes, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I guess you clean up pretty well."

He chuckled, rubbing a finger under his nose, before taking her hand in his. "Let's go enjoy the Festival, Ino."

She nodded her head, tightening her fingers that were in his. "I'd like that a lot, Naruto."

The blonde couple happily moved into the crowd, discussing how there last few days had been and teasing some of the other couples that were making a debut at the Festival. They spent an hour, indulging in the childish games that were provided and consuming a variety of food, ranging from delicious to...interesting. It wasn't long before Ino began to pull him away from the lively crowd of people, milling and mingling in the Centre of the Village. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes that he couldn't deny. He blindly followed her, knowing that he would go wherever she could take him. For all eternity.

* * *

"I'm glad that you made the time for me," she said gently as they stared up at the sky. It wasn't much, what she had set up for them, but it fit the situation. They laid on top of a blanket, to watch the firework display. A small basket of handmade foods was off to the side and a few lanterns were lit, giving off a soft, romantic light. It wasn't much, but it had turned out far better than she had imagined. It helped that the fireflies were working with her, their brief bursts of life, glittering like the stars above. She recalled Naruto's stunned expression at the surprise that she had set up. They had had little time with one another, so she figured that they could have some time together during the Festival. She was glad that he was elated by her plan, happily eating and drinking whatever she brought.

His grip on her hand tightened slightly and he chuckled. "I will always make time for you, Ino." He replied gently, his eyes watching the bright lights fill the sky before looking over at her. He could see the smile on her lips at his words, her hand returning the squeeze that he had given her. She blinked before turning her face towards him, his gaze softening gently.

"Hey," she said gently.

"Hey," he replied back in the same manner.

They simply stared at one another, as the fireworks went off above them, casting colorful glows across their skin. She reached over, caressing his face gently as she moved closer to him. She leaned in, gently placing her lips on his and he sighed as a feeling of content washed over him. Pulling away slightly, she ran her thumb over his lip. "I'm really happy that we are able to have this time together tonight. I missed you."

"I missed you too," he said with a gentle smile. "This is really nice, Ino." He dipped his head to nuzzle the palm of her hand, that had been caressing his face. He gazed back at her, before leaning in to kiss her once more. His arms reached out to pull her closer, as his tongue slid into her mouth. She let out a gentle mewl of approval as he dictated the pacing of the kiss. "Really nice," he murmured under his breath as he moved on top of her.

"Here," she whispered out the question in a slightly frantic and excited tone as his lips moved down her throat and nibbled on her collarbone.

"Here," he grunted out in response, knowing that this wasn't the most ideal location (probably not the time either) but he had been controlling and ignoring the urges that he had for quite sometime now. There was a gentle gasp that left her as he continued to suck on the sensitive flesh of her neck. A shudder rolled through her body as his teeth grazed over the thin skin. It seemed that she wasn't protesting in the least, maybe she too was surrendering to the desires that she had been holding off on.

He reached around, tugging away the Obi around her waist, hastily pulling the damned thing away, wanting to see her body. Underneath the moonlight, the light casted a glow across her skin, the fireworks that exploded in the air above them gave her skin more color. She gazed up at him with lust filled eyes, a blush on her cheeks. He marvelled in the body that she possessed. His hands wandered over her exposed flesh, relishing in how smooth she felt. He enjoyed feeling her muscles shift and tense as he continued his exploration. The palm of his hand rolled over one of her breasts, cupping it gently as it filled his palm. A gentle gasp left her at the feel, her back arching into his touch. He rolled his thumb over the hardening bud, watching her reaction with an intense gaze. He leaned forward, kissing her chest gently, his tongue sliding out as he licked the curve of her breast. He moved towards the other breast, giving it a cautious flick of his tongue.

Her eyes fluttered close as she let out a breathless moan, arching her back more. His mouth closed around the bud, sucking it gently while his tongue flicked over it. Her hands gripped his hair tightly as she moaned gently. His other hand continued its ministrations of groping and caressing her supple flesh, before he moved over to the other one to give it better attention with his mouth. She pressed her lips together, biting back the low groan that threatened to leave her. That tongue of his was sinfully delightful and wicked all at the same time. She could feel her desire for him grow increasingly with each flick of that muscle.

He pulled away from her breast, staring down at her with smoldering eyes. She grinned pulling him down to her lips once more, having his body on top of hers once more. She groaned into the kiss, pressing her body up towards his, and rolling her hips slightly. Her hands moved down his chest, taking hold of the tie around his waist. She struggled briefly to untie the knot, but her efforts were rewarded when it came loose. She glanced down at his exposed skin, her nails raking gently down his torso, hooking into the undergarments her wore. A Cheshire like grin came to her lips as he shuddered at the feeling and she rolled her warmth against his groin. He stiffened above her, his eyes closing briefly at the delicious friction that she had created. His hand slid down her thigh, gripping the appendage tightly as he returned her ministrations with his own. She hissed through her teeth, biting on her lower lip. His mouth went back to hers as the continued to grind against one another, while fighting for dominance within the kiss.

When he pulled away once more, he propped himself on his knees, giving her exposed body another long heated gaze. His eyes trailed from her flustered face, down to her breasts, watching the way they rose and fell with each intake of her heavy breathing. He lingered on the sight before trailing down her toned stomach, past her navel and stopping at what could hardly qualify as passable lingerie. Cerulean hues glanced up at her face, before he swallowed thickly. His hand reached in between their bodies, tracing up towards the centre of her thighs. He could feel the shivers of anticipation that moved throughout her body before cupping her warmth gently. A mewl of satisfaction left her as she scooted herself closer to his hand. He traced her warmth with trembling fingers, feeling his mouth running dry.

He reached up, pulling down the garment with the aid of her lifting her hips. He glanced down at the juncture of her thighs, her warmth glistening in the light provided. His fingers returned, delicately tracing the slick core and he relished at how warm she felt. He heard her intake of breath as he slowly slid a single finger into her. She bit her lower lip as he began to thrust his finger slowly in and out, her back arching off the blanket. She let out a throaty moan when he inserted another, increasing the pace. She felt her body act instinctively, rolling into his fingers and moaning in pleasure. When his other hand reached to roll and pinch her harden buds, she nearly lost her mind. She jerked into his hand, feeling herself fading quickly. Her hand gripped his wrist tightly as she felt her release coming all too quickly. It was like falling off a cliff and diving into an undiscovered state of bliss. She rolled her hips desperately into his thrusts, her moans increasing in frequency and pitch.

All the pressure that had been building suddenly ceased, it was only a few milliseconds of peace within her body, before it all came crashing down around her. Waves and waves of pleasure rolled through her body as her release washed over her. She didn't care if anyone could hear her moans of pleasure. She didn't care that they were doing this sort of act in the middle of a field. All that mattered was the man she loved pleasing her and herself. There was nothing else around them. Not the sounds of the fireworks or the crowd in the faint distance.

She came down from her pleasure induced high, panting heavily as she gazed up at the blonde male. He was staring at her in such a way that a shiver rolled down her spine. His hands left from between her thighs and went up to his lips, where he licked away the essence of her from his fingers. She bit her lip at the throaty groan that left him, before he came crashing his lips onto hers. To see her in such a state like that, it caused a carnal need to fill him. He wanted to feel her body with his. He wanted to bury himself deep within her warmth, to feel the way she clenched around him, instead of his fingers. She wasted little to no time with tugging down his undergarments, allowing him to move away to shed them completely before yanking him back to her. A curse left his lips as her hand wrapped around his aching member, giving it a rough squeeze in her palm, pumping it gently. Her legs opened wider to accommodate his waist as he lowered his hips. She gasped as he pressed the tip of his member near her entrance.

"Hurry," she panted out impatiently, lifting up her hips in response.

With a gentle grunt, he slid himself into her slowly, despite her desperation. He wanted to take his time and enjoy how it felt to be inside her. A simultaneous moan left the both of them, as she adjusted to him and he told himself to not blow his load so quickly. He inhaled through his teeth as she bucked her hips up, to let him know that she was ready. He started out with slow and steady thrust, relishing in the way her body fit around him so snugly. He gripped the back of her thigh for better leverage and penetration. The noises that left her was like some unsang song from the Heavens. Each roll of her hips and arch of her back was like unwritten words in a book. He had known of the wonders of a woman's body and he had satisfied his urges many times before but this was on a different level. He supposed it had something to do with their mutual feelings towards one another, unlike those one night stands he had had in the past. As he increased his thrusts, he could feel her clench around him, he could feel his body trembling to keep his composure. He leaned his head forward into the crook of her neck, kissing her flushed skin. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her nails digging into his back. He growled lowly in the back of his throat at the feel of mild pain but it was pleasurable as well. Snapping his hips roughly, he groaned as she came, tightening ever so slightly.

He continued to thrust into her, enjoying the way she felt and how she sounded. He groaned at the nails that continued to grip and dig into his shoulders and back. He shuddered when her legs tightened around his waist and how heavenly his name sounded falling from her lush lips. "Naru-!" She came again with a shout of his name and he couldn't help but want to hear her say it over and over again. His thrusts slowed as he pulled away to look at her. Her lips were swollen as she gasped for air, sweat causing her bangs to cling to her forehead. She gazed up at him and her eyes softened gently, a small smile coming to her lips. Lifting up her body slightly, she kissed him gently, expressing the words that she was unable to speak. He melted into the kiss, pulling her close to him before rolling over their position. She grunted a bit at the sudden movement before opening her eyes to gaze down at the male.

A devilish grin came to her face, she was in a position of power. She was surprised that he returned her mischievous grin, bucking his hips up slightly. Her eyes fluttered close as she moaned lowly, biting her her lower her hips slowly, she watched his eyes roll slightly as he gripped her waist tightly. She continued to move slowly against him, watching the way his expression would go lax with her movements. His brows pinched together as she began to move faster, his jaw going slack. When she leaned back, he swore he could see stars behind his eyelids. He began to pull her hips forward with his hands as she continued to ride him. Her moans floated into the open air, the smell of sweat and sex filling his nostrils. Licking the pad of his thumb, he moved to rub her sensitive nub in circular motions. She lurched forward at the sudden sensation, gripping his wrist tightly as she stilled, as she came once more. She chuckled slightly, not releasing that the male beneath her would be so focused on her pleasure.

She hummed slightly as she leaned forward more, giving him a languid kiss, which he returned greedily. Her hand brushed back his bangs as she clenched around him and he let out incoherent words. He pushed himself off the ground, having her her legs in the crook of her elbows and one hand gripping her bottom while the other support her back. She clutched the back of his head with one hand while the other clutched his back tightly. His mouth kissed, sucked and bit her neck and collarbone as he continued to thrust into her.

"Mmm, ah! N-Naru-"

He moaned loudly as his orgasm came, along with her final one. She shuddered around him as his hot seed spilled into her. They stayed in that position for a while, trying to catch their breath. He lifted up his head from her neck, a cheeky grin on his lips and she rolled her eyes but she let out a gentle laugh. They repositioned their clothing, before laying back down on the blanket beneath them. She rested her head on his chest, as he gazed up at what was left of the firework display.

"Say Naruto," she muttered out gently, lifting her head to look up at him.

"Hmmm," he replied in her typical fashion.

"I love you."

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Every Other Freckle by Alt-J**

 **AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! One of the other moments you all have been patiently waiting for. Was it good? I haven't written a scene like that in a while, so I feel a bit rusty in that regard. Also, the way I can see our beloved blondies is that there is a lot of 'I love you's' being said between them because that's just a headcanon of mine. Like Ino pulls an awesome prank, Naruto will say 'I love you' and blah blah blah. I could go on forever with how much I love them. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the tenth installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Feedback is appreciated and thank you for reading! - Tinyraver**


	11. Love Me Right

_**AN: Alright, yeah, I believe this is the final chapter. I have nothing else to write about them, my goal has been accomplished. I followed what I wanted to happen and I keep the story rather medium length, like intended. I want to say that I really appreciate all the love that you guys have given me and this story. I was worried that it wouldn't be good because it was a happy story and I tend to fall short in this department. But look, I actually completed it! Lots of time skips in this chapter! Haha. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and happy reading~**_

 _ **Shoutout to**_ _ **marvell**_ _ **: If you're reading this, hit me up in my PMs please. I wanted to reply to your review, but it wouldn't let me. I would like to speak to you briefly (nothing bad, I promise!)**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**_

 _ **Rating: M for Language, Violence and Sexual Themes.**_

 _ **Legend: Italics for Flashbacks/Past Tense.**_

* * *

 **011 Love Me Right**

" _My Universe is You"_

* * *

 _The months seemed to pass by as the two of them enjoyed their relationship with on another, of course, they had had a few arguments that he felt may have split them apart. It had had something to do with a solo mission that she had been sent on, coming back with more than necessary injuries. He could still remember the battered and bruised body that crumbled against one of the Guards at the Village Gates. He could still remember how pale she looked in contrast to the Jonin uniform. He could remember those eyes that looked at him with mild recognition before she went unconscious. He remembered sitting by her bedside for hours, until Sakura told him to go home and shower, even then he ended up taking a small one at the Hospital. He remembered marching and barging into the Hokage's office, glaring at his former Teacher. The silver haired male had let out a sigh, just receiving the news of the Yamanaka's return, a few hours prior. He had been waiting for the Uzumaki to come into his office for quite some time now. He cleared his throat to speak to the fuming male before him but Naruto began on a long heated tirade, asking questions and throwing accusations. It had taken a long time to calm him down, trying to make the blonde male understand the general idea of the mission that she had been sent on. It wasn't anyone's fault that she had been ambushed while trying to get coordinates and information. Still, the Uzumaki stressed that someone should have been with her._

 _He never said that she was weak or incapable, but that was simply how the Yamanaka heard it when Naruto brought up the topic after she was released from the Hospital. She took great pride in any and everything that she did, it was only natural for her to become hostile, especially after that mission. As usual, a screaming match had erupted between the two of them, resulting in the Uzumaki stalking off in a fit of rage. She had been shocked that he had walked away from her (she usually was the one who walked away). When he didn't return back to their apartment that night, she took the time to think about what had transpired between them. She knew that she was at fault, only listening to him and not really taking in his words. She had been defensive because she feared that he would belittle her skills, but she realized that he had been expressing his concerns to her, in a roundabout way. She had cursed under her breath, hating how he had picked up on her ways of communication, realizing that she was going about this all wrong._

 _It hadn't taken long to find him, as she was a Sensor and he wasn't trying to hide from her. On top of the Hokage Monument, he was brooding and sulking. When she sat down beside him, he glanced over at her, a small pout on his lips. She let out a gentle sigh, leaning her body against his and resting her head on his shoulders. When she apologized for her words and actions, she could physically see him relax, leaning back into her weight. She apologized for not understanding that he had been worried about her. She apologized for yelling at him and allowing her own insecurities for getting in the way and clouding her mind. He returned the apology, knowing that he was at fault to. He had came about the conversation in the wrong manner, not realizing that it would trigger her temper so easily. He also apologize for making her come find him but he needed some time to think about his actions._

 _They sat there in silence, as their apologies were given and accepted, simply staring at the starry sky. Her hand rested on top of his knee and his arm was wrapped around her waist, as they continued to sit there. After a while, she laughed gently, turning her head to nuzzle the side of his neck. He blinked and looked down at her, a frown on his lips not understanding what was so funny. She looked at him with sparkling eyes, a gentle smile on her lips._

" _You know, I might be a pain in the ass sometimes," she started and he responded with a sarcastic '_ _ **sometimes**_ ' _and she nudged him in the ribs with a devilish grin. "And I know that we'll argue over pretty much everything..."_

" _But?" He asked when she paused._

" _But I think I could do this forever with you." She said with a gentle smile before looking back up at the night's sky. She nodded her head gently. "Yeah, I think I could."_

 _That night, he asked her to come meet his parents and she agreed, surprised by the sudden notion. She fiddled with her hair and clothing, wondering if she looked appropriate for the occasion. He let out a laugh and reassured her by giving her hand a tight squeeze. They spent a long time with at the Hero's Stone, talking with his parents. She would smile as he would tell her about the times that he met both of them within his mind. She would laugh when he spoke of how fiery his mother's temper was. And when the first tear fell from his eyes, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him as he buried his face into the palms of his hands. She secretly thanked his parents for raising such a wonderful man. She held him tightly as he let out his emotions, until he was ready to return home._

 _That night he etched and carved every emotion into her body, she had been shaken by it for days._

* * *

" _It's been two years, huh?"_

 _She rolled over on her side to gaze at him, as his fingers twirled around in her hair. "Has it really," she mused, though he knew better that she knew exactly how long it had been. He grinned as he leaned forward, burying his face into her bare chest. She let out a laugh, complaining that the faint stubble on his face tickled. She wrapped her arms around his head, running her fingers through his now, shorter hair. "I guess time flies, huh?"_

 _He lifted his head from her chest, a grin on his lips. "It really does, it almost seems like yesterday we got together."_

 _She rolled her eyes at his remark. Though he was right, it didn't really feel like two years had passed between them. It was hard to believe that they had come this far, despite the bumpy road that they went on to get to this point. She gazed at him with affectionate eyes, a small smile on her lips. "Well, I am glad that these two years have been spent with you, Lord Naruto."_

 _A whine left him as he buried his face back into her chest. "Can't you come up with another name to call me?" He muffled out and she chuckled as she watched the tips of his ears turn red._

" _Oh no, it's only been a few months and I'm going to get my fill of teasing you," she said, gently pushing him away from her. She rolled onto her back, gazing up at the ceiling of their new home._

 _A few months after his coronation, he had surprised her with this new place. It was overlooking the Village, giving her a pleasant view throughout the day. He had guided her throughout the house, noting that the place was a bit large for just the two of them. She glanced over at him when he showed her the extra rooms, a blush touching his face as he grinned brightly. She had rolled her eyes, knowing exactly what he was thinking and she could feel her heart race at the idea of their future. He had continued to give her a tour of the house, noting that he left a space for her to build a new garden; one to symbolize their new path with one another. Really, he did too much for her._

" _But Ino, it's embarrassing for you to say it," he whined as she got out of the bed, pulling on a robe._

" _How many times do I have to tell you, I'm just helping you get used to it." She teased as she left the bedroom, heading into the kitchen for something to drink. She shivered as the threat of winter, slowly began to chill the house. She tiptoed across the hardwood floors, not liking the way the ending signs of autumn were already affecting the house. As she made her way to the kitchen, she noted that there was something off. Glancing out the window, she could see a faint glow of a light and she stopped. Glancing over her shoulder, to the bedroom, she frowned._

" _Naruto, did you leave a light on?" She called out but was given no response. Muttering a curse under her breath, she quickly headed out on the balcony, shivering at the night's chilly air. Wrapping her arms around herself, she headed down the stairs, towards the back of the house. She felt his Chakra before she saw him and she smiled. "I see that you heard me, you should have-"_

 _She stopped speaking at as she rounded the corner, the garden that she had slowly been working on was covered with dim lights. In the middle was, now fully clothed, Naruto kneeling before her. A nervous expression was on his face, as well as a gentle blush. In between his hands, there was a small box, cushioning a glittering ring._

" _Naruto," she breathed out as she slowly walked towards him, her heart pounding in her ears and throat._

" _I-I know that this isn't probably the most elaborate or romantic way of doing things but I've never been good at anything like that." He started off with a stammer. "But you see, Ino, this is the only way I can see doing this. I know that I might not understand your moods at times or what your trying to say to me. I know that we'll probably argue until we get old and wrinkly." She laughed gently. "But I do know that I could do this forever with you. I can take whatever you throw at me because I love you. You have loved me for who I am and for who I'm not. You have shown me the beauty of life and I want to show you my appreciation. You have made me into a better man and I want to do right by you, for the rest of our lives. I want you to call me your Husband and nothing else. I want to be selfish with you. I want to grow old with you, Ino. I want to love you right."_

 _He licked his lips. "I want to start a family with you. I want to do so many things and I know that this may seem like it's too early in our relationship but I can't see myself with anyone else. So what I'm saying is...uh...will you-" He paused, feeling his throat run dry and his hands shaking. "Will you marry me, Yamanaka Ino?"_

 _She stood there, at a loss of words, well not really. She knew what she was going to say but she was still in shock. He was always surprising her and she was sure that he wouldn't stop surprising her. "I know that I have never outright told you my feelings but you seem to understand my ways," she said gently, taking in a deep breath. "This is certainly a surprise," she started, watching with his gentle eyes. "I have loved you for a long time and I know that I'll continue to love you for the rest of my life. You have been a constant strength in my life, keeping me motivated. My entire universe has become you. We may not see eye to eye and we are too similar at times it's scary." This time he let out a gentle laugh. "But I don't want us to be any other way. You continue to surprise me and I fall in love with you more and more each day. Thank you for these past two years, they have been wonderful and…" she paused, lifting her left hand out towards him, a smile on her lips. "I would love to see what the years have in store for us. So...yes, I will marry you, Uzumaki Naruto."_

 _He slid the ring on her finger before nearly jumping up to capture her lips with his. It was then that the tears began to fall, from both parties. They held one another for a long time, hearts pounding as they thought about their life together. As they thought about their future. They pulled away from one another, staring at one another with gentle smiles. She brushed away the tears from his eyes, giving his nose a gentle kiss. He chuckled a bit, nuzzling his face into her cheek._

" _Now you can't call me Lord Naruto."_

 _She rolled her eyes, swatting him playfully on the chest. "I think I'll stick with it, after all, we aren't married_ _ **yet**_ _."_

 _His face fell as she laughed and he followed after her as she led them inside. "What will you call me when we get married?"_

 _She glanced over her shoulder and she smiled gently. "It'll be a surprise."_

* * *

 _Their wedding had been spectacular, which was nothing less than one would expect when marrying the Yamanaka Heiress. All their comrades and close friends had been elated when they found out about their engagement. The Uzumaki had even personally went to Suna to invite the Kazekage, much to Shikamaru's dismay (as the new Hokage had too much paperwork to ignore for personal visits). They had planned for a wedding in the Summer, due to Ino's persistence. Something about being a Summer Bride was her dream and Naruto could only comply to his future spouse's demands. Their house had soon turned into a mess of wedding ideas and different materials were thrown around the place. He had never seen the blonde woman so stressed out but he knew that there wasn't much that he could do to help. Women and weddings were something terrifying to deal with, especially all at once._

 _When the day arrived, he was a ball of nerves. Not that he was scared that Ino would leave, but because this was a huge step in their life. He had had many of his groomsmen calm him down during the day, waiting for the time of the ceremony. He hadn't seen his soon to be wife for two days now and his imagination could only do so much for him. When she walked down the aisle, he began to cry because she truly was the most beautiful woman that had ever graced his life. She wore the traditional white Wedding Kimono, adorned with her family crest on the back. Her long hair pulled up in an intricate bun, decorated with pins and his favorite flower, the Sunflower, placed delicately in it. Her makeup was subtle and lips were painted a delicate pink. When their eyes met, she smiled at him and he returned it with a brilliant one of his own. When they said their vows, she cried, trying her best to make the words come out. When they shared their first kiss as newlyweds, they had to be separated from what first was an innocent kiss turning into passionate._

 _The reception afterwards felt like a dream. They opted to change into less elaborate clothing, walking around to give their gratitude to those who had come and to receive congratulations. They gave prayers of guidance and bows to their parents' photos that were set up on a table, in order to feel like the ceremony was complete. Naruto had been taken away by some of the men, giving him rough pats on the backs and firm handshakes. Ino was surrounded by the women, giving and receiving tight hugs and indulging in a few pictures. The newlyweds would look at one another from across the room, smiling when their eyes met. The festivities went late into the evening, everyone enjoying the food and drinks provided. Everyone enjoying the overwhelming amount of love in the air._

 _They sat out on their balcony, gazing up at the stars as they often did. Her head rested on his shoulder and his arm was secured around her waist. Both of the blondes were exhausted from the wedding but they were also both content. "So, he's with a girl named Karin, huh?" Ino mused in an exhausted manner._

" _Yeah, she's a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan," he replied in the same manner. "She was a part of his Team when he was away from Konoha."_

 _She hummed in response. "It's good he found someone."_

 _He nodded his head. "And Sakura too."_

 _She snorted slightly, blinking her tired eyes. "With Kakashi, I never saw that coming."_

 _They laughed a bit, before he moved to stand up. "Well, love is unexpected." She looked up at his outstretched hand, glancing at the silver band that glimmered in the moonlight. She smiled gently, knowing that he was talking about their relationship. She took his hand and he hoisted her up off the ground. "May I have this dance?" He muttered against her ear and she nodded her head, as he wrapped an arm around her waist, the other holding her hand. She rested her hand on his shoulder, gazing up at his face. They moved slowly as they danced on their balcony, beneath the moon. She smiled as he muttered affectionate words to her. She gave him chaste kisses when he spun her around and dipped her. She almost wondered if she would wake up from this dream that he had created. When his lips met hers, she melted._

 _There was no waking up, because this was reality._

* * *

" _Honey? Are you there?"_

 _A small smile pulled at his lips, as she called out his pet name. Looking up from the paperwork that he was idling doing, he beamed at his wife as she came into his Office. A gentle smile was on her lips, a tray of food in her hands. While she would normally chide him for bringing his work home and having to have dinner in the small room, she seemed different for the past few weeks. There was this glow that enhanced her features, more than usual. She had chopped off, a large portion of length from her ponytail, the tips dangling between her shoulder blades. When he asked her, she said that it was getting a bit too long for missions. He had nodded his head in agreement, though didn't voice that he missed the length; especially the way it pooled around her when she let it down._

 _She had pulled her hair into a loose braid that fell over her shoulder and she wore a modest lilac dress, a white apron tied around her waist. Now that he thought of it, she had chosen to start wearing more modest clothing, rather than baring her skin for all to see. Not that he minded that, either, his wife's body was desirable and it should only be for him (and Kurama) to see. He may not seem like it but he was very protective (possessive) of his wife. He watched as she gently set the tray down in front of him, pushing aside the documents that he had been working on and taking the pen out of his hand. It wasn't like he minded, he had been getting nowhere reading over the words, they all seemed to be jumbling together. She always knew when the best time to distract him for a while was, she treated him so well._

 _Inhaling the scent of homemade Ramen, he felt himself drool slightly. What a way to end the evening. "Wow, this smells amazing, Ino."_

" _I assure you, it tastes as delicious as it smells," she replied with a grin, leaving the room to go fetch her own tray of food._

 _He watched as she left, admiring the way she moved before looking down at the meal before him. The broth was a rich brown, the meat glistened in fatty goodness and the noodles looked like they were softened to perfection. Not to soft yet not crunchy, just the way he enjoyed it. He had been telling Ino to go work at Ichiraku, because her Ramen was up there with Teuchi's, but she would give him a glare and a roll of her eyes. Letting out a snicker, he reached out to grab his chopsticks, only to stop. He stared at it for a long time before he immediately clamored out of his seat, running to find his wife._

 _He found her in the kitchen, a gentle smile on her lips, as if she was waiting for him. He hadn't realized he was breathing so heavily. until that was the sound that filled the silence of their home. She lifted her hands to beckon him closer and he swallowed harshly, taking in her body. How could he not have known? Had he been so busy with his tasks that he neglected the small signs. He could see it. He could sense it. Walking towards her, he could hear his heart pounding in his ears and throbbing in his throat. Right in front of her, he collapsed to his knees, his hands running across the expanse of her stomach. Resting his forehead on her stomach, he nuzzled it gently, feeling himself slowly becoming overwhelmed._

" _How long," he questioned._

" _Four months," she replied, resting her hands in his hair, stroking the soft blonde locks. "I wanted to be sure."_

 _He hummed in response, burying his face into her apron as his arms circled around her tightly. His shoulders soon began to tremble and there was a wetness that dampened her apron. Her gaze softened and she cradled his head in her hands. "Surprise, Naruto." He nodded his head and a muffled reply came from him._

 _On the desk of his Office, the chopsticks were tied with a small bow with a note attached to it. It read:_ _ **Happy Father's Day**_ _._

" _Honey, not too tight...the baby…"_

" _Ah! I'm sorry!"_

* * *

 _He was a very protective Husband, that much she had realized. Now that they were bringing a new life into this world, he had become downright overbearing. It was impossible for her to do anything without being escorted or chided at. It didn't help that her hormones were flying off the handle most of the time and she went into crying fits more often than not. There was a limit to allowing him to have his way. She knew that he was nervous and excited for their child but that didn't mean he had to oversee everything that she did. He had given up sending Clones to be with her throughout the days, as her due date was nearing, seeing how she would dispel them without a second thought. Some days, he would leave a Clone to deal with his Hokage work and spend the rest catering to her, but she needed to breath. He was suffocating her with his love._

" _Uzumaki Naruto," she seethed out. "If you don't allow me this time today, I will end you right here and now."_

 _A pouting Hokage was clutching his head (where she bopped him) and he was cowering behind the couch as she reached to grab her purse. "B-But Ino, I just want to make sure you'll be fine."_

 _She let out a huff of annoyance, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'll be with Sakura today, so if anything should happen, I'll be in good hands."_

 _He perked up after hearing the name of his former teammate. He came out from his hiding spot from behind the couch, a smile on his face. "Well why didn't you say so?"_

 _She rolled her eyes, she had been trying to explain it to him for the past thirty minutes but she let it go. There was no point in allowing her raging emotions control her. She jumped when a hand rolled across her prominent belly in an affectionate manner. Teal met azure eyes in an annoyed manner but she smiled regardless. She let out a groan as a foot collided with her ribcage and she patted her belly gently. "He gets lively around you, you know."_

" _You think the baby is a boy?"_

" _I know he is," she replied with confidence. "He has crazy energy like you."_

 _A pleased snicker left the Hokage and she leaned up to give him a small kiss. "I'll be going now." She moved (waddled) to the door and she turned to give him a pointed glare. "You. Stay. Here."_

 _He gulped at the sudden change of mood displayed by his Wife. He nodded his head, taking a seat on the arm of the couch, waving her off. Now what was he supposed to do?_

 _Lunch with the Medic had been wonderful, a change of scenery was what she had needed. She had spent most of her time cooped up in her home or in the Garden. Not like she could do much at her size anyways but still, stretching her legs felt good. Palms firmly resting on her lower back, she paced in front of the Dango Shop, craving sweets after their lunch. She was waiting for Sakura to return with her desired dumplings when the cramps started to get more intense. She grimaced slightly as she continued to pace (slowly) back and forth in front of the Shop. The fluttering in her stomach was growing more and more within the last hour she was away from the house. Biting her lower lip, as her stomach tightened significantly, her hand cradled her stomach. Sucking in a deep breath, she tried to ease through the contraction while she stood there. Letting out the breath she had been holding, she looked up to see the Medic come out of the Shop, treats in hand. When their eyes met, it was as if each of them knew what was happening._

 _Her water broke._

 _Labor was an experience that she felt like she was going to die. Who was the one who opted for no epidural? Oh, it was her wasn't it? She cursed the idea of having a natural birth at this point, but if her mother and grandmother and so on had done it, so could she._

" _Ino, I'm going to need you to push with each contraction." Sakura stated calmly._

" _Where the hell is my_ _ **Husband**_ _," she seethed out._

" _He's on his way."_

" _Then this baby isn't getting pushed until he gets-" She stopped as she was caught up in the pain of her stomach tightening and toes curling, the instinct to push was overwhelming. Clenching her teeth as she gripped the bed railing tightly, a groan passed between her teeth as her body involuntarily pushed with each contraction. Letting out the breath she was holding, she tossed her head back into the pillow, gasping for air. The door to the delivery room burst open, a half clothed Naruto panting in the doorway. A small smile came to her lips and she held out her hand for him (in order to crush it in her grasp)._

" _Of all times, you choose to train-" She stopped as another contraction came and she let out drawn out groan of pain. A warm hand wrapped around her outstretched hand and she instantly gripped it tightly as she continued to push, her face slowly turning red._

" _Just breath like we practiced, Ino," he muttered gently, trying his best to help her through._

" _You try this and see if you can easily breath," she hissed out, though she found comfort in his words._

 _Her labor lasted for a short amount of time, seeing how she had been trying her best to wait for Naruto. They were many screams and cries of pain (mainly from Naruto, surely his hand was broken). Until the sound of their son's cries reached their ears; the whole room became quiet. She felt tears well up in her eyes as she laid her head against the pillows, gazing up at the face of Naruto. He beamed brilliantly, leaning over to gently kiss her forehead and praising her for how well she did. When the baby was placed in her arms, his face changed. He was in awe at the tiny person that they created. He watched as Ino slowly rocked their son, to ease his confused cries. He felt the tears roll down his face as he felt this overwhelming amount of joy in his chest and heart. He buried his face into her hair, sniffling slightly._

" _He's beautiful," Ino said in an exhausted manner, but the affection in her voice was not missed._

 _Naruto nodded his head. "He looks like a bean," he said, referring to the way he was wrapped up in the blankets._

 _Ino nodded and laughed. "He's our little bean."_

 _Naruto let out a chuckle, brushing the tears from his eyes, looking down at the now sleeping babe, his blonde hair was translucent wisps on his forehead. Naruto wondered who he would take after, knowing that the Yamanaka bloodline would easily show over the Uzumaki. It seemed as if Kurama's Chakra influence had also given their son two small whisker like marks and he chuckled a bit. He wondered what kind of personality their son would have and if he would be happy with them being his parents. Naruto being his father._

" _Have you thought of a name?" Sakura asked, watching the couple fondly._

 _Ino glanced up at Naruto, leaving it up to him. "Yeah, I think so."_

* * *

" _Uzumaki Haruto, get back here!"_

 _A small two year old boy wobbled around the house, giggling and screaming as he ran away from the monster chasing him. "Mama! Papa is gonna get me!" His blonde hair was pulled into a small ponytail on top of his head, his bangs fringing around his face. His round cheeks were flushed red as he laughed and ran away from his father, who was chasing him around with a Gamakichi-esque towel on his head. He had his mother's Bloodline but his eyes were the same color as his father's. His small hands wrapped around a long leg, trying to hide. A gentle laugh came from his mother as she turned to face the 'monster' chasing her son. Grabbing a ladle, she caressed her large belly, holding it up in the air._

" _Begone you foul creature!" She stated with a smile. "I shall not let you have my son!"_

" _But I am the tickle monster," Naruto exclaimed, wiggling his fingers evilly. "I shall not rest until I have tickled the boy!" He stuck out his tongue and slowly crept around Ino, causing Haruto to squeal with glee before running away. He went after his son, easily capturing the boy and giving him the 'Ultimate Tickle Technique,' Ino watched with fond eyes at the scene. Naruto had had fears of not being a good parent but she knew better than anyone, that he would be an amazing father. He was proving his own doubts wrong daily. She could clearly see how much he adored their son and she knew that he would spoil their daughter rotten, when she arrived._

 _The two blonde males came towards her, Haruto on his father's shoulders. She smiled at both of them as Naruto leaned down to give her a gentle, chaste kiss on her lips. Haruto followed suit, giving her a sloppy kiss on her forehead. She laughed and returned their kisses, before turning back to cooking dinner. She listened to her boys playing around in the living room, when an all too familiar feeling settled in her stomach. She smiled a bit, seems like her daughter was getting rather impatient. Setting down her ladle, she turned off the stove, waddling to the bedroom._

" _Love, are you alright," Naruto called after her._

 _She emerged from their bedroom, carrying their hospital bag. "I believe it's time, Naruto," she said gently._

 _He immediately hopped up from the floor, taking hold of his giggling son. "Isn't it early?"_

" _It seems," she paused as she took in a deep breath. "It seems she wants to play too."_

 _He beamed as he led his family to the Hospital, trying to explain to his son that his little sister was on the way. Ino's labor lasted four hours that night, causing the Hokage to worry at how pale she had become. However, they brought their healthy daughter, Inoko, into their world. Of course, Naruto cried, maybe even harder (because his daughter was just as beautiful as her mother and he would have to protect her from all the boys). Her whisker marks stretched across her wailing cheeks and when she opened her eyes, he fell so deeply in love with his daughter. He knew that he would spoil her (Kurama too)._

" _She looks just like you," Naruto said gently, his finger gently caressing Inoko's cheek._

" _But she's loud like you," Ino teased weakly._

 _They later introduced Haruto to his younger sister and he vowed on the hospital bed to protect his baby sister (because she was the cutest baby). Naruto watched his family as they all sat on the Hospital bed and he felt himself whole. He felt like he was finally complete. Not to say that he had been feeling empty with Ino and Haruto. He loved them to the sun and back, but now, watching them gaze lovingly at Inoko, he felt whole. He leaned over, giving Ino a gentle kiss on her forehead. She looked up at him and a hand touched his cheek._

" _Thank you for giving me this family," she said, taking the words right out of his mouth._

 _He felt the tears well up in his eyes once more and he nodded happily._

' _I'm the one who should be saying that,' he thought._

* * *

He stood out on the balcony, watching the sun slowly rise over the mountain on this winter's day. The slowly blanketed over his Village and he couldn't help but be in more awe of the beauty that his home possessed. He had just returned from a Kage meeting that had kept him away from Konoha for a week, seeing how Gaara refused to move too far away from his pregnant wife. He grinned, knowing that he had been the same way when Ino had been pregnant. He glanced over his shoulder to see Ino rouse from her slumber on the couch, gently moving their children away from her body. She stretched slowly and a shiver rolled down her spine, before she tucked the blankets securely over their children. He felt her Chakra reach out to search for him and he smiled gently at the warmth it brought. Glancing over to the balcony, their eyes met and she smiled gently at him. She moved around their cluttered living room, turning on the heater, just in case the children woke up a bit too cold. She slid open the balcony door and shivered at the biting air that graced her.

"Did you just get back?" She asked, still trying to wake up.

"Yeah," he breathed out. "I didn't want to wake you all."

"So you were going to freeze to death until we woke up?" She teased as she was pulled into a warm embrace, knowing that Kurama would keep him warm. "I'm glad you're home and safe, the both of you," she said before giving him a gentle kiss. "Welcome home, Naruto."

"I'm home, Ino," he said with a gentle smile, returning the kiss.

She smiled brilliantly. These last four years had treated her well, having the children had caused her to glow even more than before. She was soft yet still strict with their upbringing, teaching them valuable lessons. Motherhood really suited her, he often thought. She still dealt with the T&I Department (part time) and ran the Flower Shop still but she no longer went on missions, in order to raise their children. At first, he was worried that she may begin to resent him for being Hokage and being gone for large portions of the day but everyday she greeted him with love and affection. Some days, he would send Clones to the Hokage Tower, in order to bond more with his children and Ino would deal with a disgruntled Shikamaru, should the Shadow User drop by and complain. No one went against the Uzumaki's wife.

"Come on, let's get inside and I'll cook breakfast." Ino said, guiding him inside and turning on the lights.

Their children grumbled and groaned at the sudden light, moving around on the couch, before sitting up. Haruto rubbing his weary eyes, blinking profusely before he focused on his mother and father. "Papa's home!" He exclaimed before hopping off the couch and tackling his father. His hair had grown out longer, though the fringe of his bangs were spiky like his father and a small low ponytail was at the base of his neck. He wore a dark purple footie pajama, covered in dark green frogs, to battle the winter months.

Inoko soon followed, her head popping out of the covers. She had dark blonde hair like her father, pulled into a small ponytail like her mother, her bangs covering one eye. Her teal eyes blinked hazily as she wondered what the commotion was all about. She raised her arms above her head to stretch, a small lilac footie pajama over her body, decorated with flowers and frogs. A small yawm left her, as she suddenly realized what was happening.

"Papa!" She cried out, hopping off the couch and leaping to jump ontop of her father and brother (after tripping slightly).

Naruto let out a laugh as they laid on the floor, his children laying ontop of him. Ino watched them fondly as she pulled out ingredients for breakfast. She tucked her bangs behind her eyes, she was lucky to have such a loving family. She was sure their parents would be proud with the children that they have raised. Naruto picked up their children, spinning them around as they shouted with glee. Getting dizzy, they tumbled to the floor in a fit of laughter, his cerulean hues looking up at Ino.

"Say Ino?"

Ino hummed in response, a coy smile on his lips as she glanced at her mess of a family and her overly doting Husband.

"Thank you for this family," he said with a grin.

She smiled at him as their children repeated his words. Walking over to them, she let out a surprised yelp as she was pulled into the dogpile. She laughed as they clamored over one another. Naruto and the kids peppering her with sloppy kisses. She held Naruto's face in her hands, staring into his eyes and he smirked that 'foxy' grin. "I love you, Ino."

"I love you too, Naruto."

When they kissed, Haruto and Inoko made a sound of disgust and Ino grinned devilishly. "And I love you two, as well!" She caught them in her arms, returning their kisses and they squealed happily and Naruto laughed, joining in on the attack.

He loved his family.

He promised that he would love them right.

 **AN: Chapter Title Song: Love Me Right by EXO**

 **And that's the end of this story, folks! I wanted this chapter to fill in things like, Ino and Naruto moving in together, becoming Hokage, getting married, having children and so on. I know it may seem jumbled and rushed, but I wanted to end this story and I didn't want to keep you all waiting. It certainly turned out longer than I expected but I hope you all enjoyed it nonetheless! Also I am a shameless SakuKaka and SasuKarin shipper, so I put that in the story, cause I can. And also, I wanted everyone to have someone in the end, now matter how brief it was.**

 **As for baby names, I wanted to give their children different names because I could have kept their names: Boruto/Inojin and Himawari, but I wanted to keep those names to their respective canon usage. So Haruto, when writing with certain Kanji, means sun/sunshine. I thought it was suitable for the NaruIno pair because they're like the sun, in my opinion. And I don't know if this was on purpose or not but Kishimoto has Minato, Naruto, and Boruto and I figured the names were like a tend of three syllables and ending with 'To', so I wanted to follow that. Also with Inoko, meaning child of the boar, I figured that since it was Inoichi, Ino and Inojin, I figured that I should continue names with Ino trend alive.**

 **Thank you all for the love and the reviews that you have given this story, it really has meant the world to me. I hope that you all enjoyed this story and will look forward to other stories that I will be making in the future. Right now, I will be finishing up** _ **Purple Haze**_ **and** _ **Foxglove**_ **, so I won't have anything new for a while (I better not). Thank you thank you thank you soooo much for reading this story! This is the final installment of** _ **Love Me Right**_ **! Feedback is appreciated and thank you, once again, for reading! -Tinyraver**


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